


Wrap Me Up in Dreams

by stellahibernis



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Developing Relationship, Dom/sub Undertones, Fae & Fairies, Falling In Love, M/M, Magical Bond, Mildly Dubious Consent, confused feelings, due to the fairy deal, loosely adapted, magical serum equivalent, many other characters in minor roles, the fair folk don’t play by the rules of mortals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-20 07:37:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 43,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13142061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellahibernis/pseuds/stellahibernis
Summary: In the aftermath of the death of his mother the Queen, Steve should be ascending to the throne. Instead there’s no time for mourning, because people their family has trusted turn out to be traitors, and he’s left with no choice but to run away to keep the magical shield protecting their kingdom from falling into wrong hands.Soon enough it becomes obvious that feverish and alone he can’t make it to safety, only for a fairy named Bucky he met once before to appear to him and offer him a deal; he’ll be safe, the magic he needs to guard will be safe,  but he’ll belong to Bucky, body and soul.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here I am, continuing the tradition (third year definitely makes it a tradition) of posting a non-holiday themed fic over the twelve days of Christmas. There are twelve chapters, and I’ll post one every day until January 5th. It’s all written, just getting the final edits done now, so there should be no problems keeping to the schedule.
> 
> Regarding the content, there’s mildly dubious consent tagged, which stems from the fact there is a definite power imbalance in their relationship for the first half of the story due to the magical deal. However, nothing happens that they don’t agree to or regret later.
> 
> There’s also a brief threat of forced marriage and brief consideration of suicide as means of getting out of it in the first chapter, but they are resolved before anything drastic happens.
> 
> Very happy end of the year and hopefully better new one for all of you, whether you're celebrating or not.

Steve wanders away from the center of attention where everyone is trying to impress his mother to gain her favor. It doesn’t interest him at all, even though he knows that when he grows up it’ll be something he’ll have to endure, and not only that, navigate gracefully. He doesn’t like the idea at all, but as the crown prince it is his duty. His mother the Queen has taught him about duty and responsibility, how in the center of it all is making sure the country prospers under its ruler’s care. The fancy parties and people clamoring for favor are not the meaning of it all, they are what comes with the more important things.

His mother is kind and wise, and the people love her. She has often told him it can only be achieved by being just and constant, not by any fleeting generosity. Steve has taken the lessons to heart, but it doesn’t mean he’s going to just sit there and listen to the boring conversations of the adults. The picnic is supposed to be fun, so he’ll have fun.

They are a couple of hours worth of light travel away from the castle, near the edge of the Forest that  marks the border of the kingdom. The area is pretty, with plenty of trees, narrow streams burbling among them, little open glades here and there where sun shines golden and flowers grow. It’s almost more like a park than a wild part of the country, even though no one has cultivated it in years. It’s a common destination for the day trips of the court during the warm season.

Steve makes little boats out of leaves, lets them into one of the little streams and follows along as they make their way down. He expects them to run into the bank, get tangled in branches, or just sink soon, but they don’t. They just bob happily onward, avoiding all obstacles as if guided by invisible hands. As he follows them Steve imagines himself a ship’s captain, exploring foreign worlds. He likes reading books on travel, or having them read to him when he’s sick enough he can’t read himself.

He discards the fanciful tales he’s spinning when he comes to the edge of the true Forest where the stream disappears through an arc of leaves into green haze, taking his boats with it. Steve stops, there’s no way in through the thickets, and he knows enough from the stories told about the Forest to not even try. It isn’t part of their kingdom, nor any other kingdom either. People don’t go in there as a rule, only the very few desperate ones, or even fewer foolhardy ones intending to prove their bravery ever try, and they wear St. John’s Wort and bells on their clothes for protection. Most of them never get through, and of those who do, many don’t come back. Those who return are forever changed.

Steve has never been this close even though he’s been on picnics nearby often enough. People avoid the Forest, and if the area wasn’t so exceptionally beautiful they wouldn’t be making these trips here. Now that he’s here he can at least sate some of his curiosity, and he has to admit it doesn’t look inviting at all since there is no way in. He doesn’t think it looks that scary either, it just looks like a forest. Steve can see in the sunlight sifting through the foliage that mistletoe is flowering on the branches and some colorful butterflies fluttering in the air. All he can hear is birdsong, bubbling of the stream, and wind rustling the leaves. He must have come far enough away from the group that the talking and music have faded away over the distance.

“Hello,” says a voice to his right and Steve nearly jumps, because he expected to be alone. It’s a boy of approximately his age, albeit taller, because everyone his age is taller than Steve. He’s clearly highborn, the quality of his clothes is testament enough, although Steve doesn’t remember ever seeing him in court.

“Hello,” Steve says, since his mother has instilled into him that he must be polite to everyone unless they give a reason for him not to be. “I haven’t seen you before.”

The boy grins, his eyes flashing. Steve can’t decide if they’re blue or green or grey, or something else altogether. “You wouldn’t have. You can call me Bucky.”

“I’m Steve.”

“I know.”

It’s not that unusual for people to know him, he is the prince after all, but the more he looks at Bucky, the more odd he seems. His clothes aren’t at all in the style the court favors this summer, although the jeweled pins are fine work, and the silks look shiny and soft. The floral embroidery is almost more like real flowers than anything done by hand.

“Are you from around here?” Steve asks.

“Not far at all. Would you like me to show you? It’ll only take us a moment to get to my home.” Bucky extends his hand and Steve really wants to take it, even though it doesn’t really make sense.

“I thought no one lives around here, there are no houses. The nearest town is at the other side of the river beyond the castle.”

“You just have to know where to look. That’s the path to my home.”

Bucky gestures behind him and sure enough, there is a path leading into the Forest, even though Steve could swear it wasn’t there just a moment ago. Bucky extends his hand again, and Steve takes a hesitant half-step toward him.

“Come on, Steve, I want to show you. It’s very beautiful there, and we’ll have a lot of things to play with.”

Steve raises his hand and takes another step, nearly touching Bucky who keeps smiling, happy and friendly.

“Steve!”

His mother’s call is full of fear, and it snaps Steve out of the excitement he felt only a moment ago. He remembers suddenly that no one should go into the Forest, that the Fair Folk don’t play by the rules of mortals. He looks back, but the path has disappeared again and there’s no sight of Bucky.

His mother rushes in and gathers him in her arms, clearly relieved, as is the whole group that has been following her.

“I’m fine, Mother, there’s nothing to worry about.”

She hugs him closer. “Good. You shouldn’t wander off, especially not here.”

They head back to the picnic site, and as it’s already late afternoon they pack up and head back toward the castle, everyone suddenly in a hurry to leave. Steve wonders if Bucky really was what he seemed, a boy like him and yet not, or if it was some kind of a trick of the Forest. He knows he’ll probably never find out.

 

* * *

 

The magic in the four kingdoms is not something that is part of their everyday life. Steve has read histories, he knows that a long time ago there was more of it, that the Fair Folk used to have more dealings with people like him, for both good and ill, mostly for their own amusement.

The fairies haven’t been seen that often for decades now, they’ve disappeared deep into their Forest where no one will bother them, and no longer walk among the mortals. Still, the paths and stone circles that belonged to them are still avoided, still seen as places that are not meant for mortals to cross.

Humans used to have a lot of skill with magic too, but it has mostly disappeared now. There are still remains of the old ways in the world, artifacts and talents that are still used for the protection of the kingdoms. There are the mythical weapons of Asgard, capable of calling for lightning to strike their enemies down, and the spells they still know that give them good health and long age, or allow them to pass without being seen. There is the skill to forge magical armor that the Starks still possess, and the looking glass that has been passed down the Carter line and that allows them to see both danger and truth. Their three kingdoms protected by this ancient magic still prosper.

The fourth kingdom, the one next to edge of the vast Forest that usually doesn’t suffer mortals to pass, is likewise protected; by a shield tied to the heart of the ruler rightfully bearing the crown. It can only be worn by right gained through blood, either of succession or battle. The shield extends its sheltering magic all across the country, and the weather inside their borders is mild, the people happy and prospering.

The fifth kingdom, the one that was the birthplace of the cult of HYDRA, wanted to rule over everyone else. The war fought over freedom was long and bitter, but in the end the allied kingdoms won, the king with the red face was killed and the land burned and salted, the magical weapons dealing blue death destroyed.

Years have passed, the people have lived on and even with the knowledge of the old lore they possess, they can’t solve every problem. They have no magic, no skill to fight the inexplicable illnesses or push time back inevitably, and must suffer the losses. One could say it is the lot of mortals, the natural procession of time.

 

* * *

 

It’s late evening and Steve lies awake in his bed staring into the ceiling. The fever that stole over him right after his mother’s passing has gone down with the help of medicine, and his head is clear for the first time in days. He needs it to be.

There hasn’t been a coronation yet, but he is still the head of the country, officially anyway. He knows that in practice he very much isn’t, as much became apparent just hours ago. 

Mid-afternoon Lord Pierce, accompanied by the whole council, came into Steve’s room. Lord Pierce was a friend of Steve’s father from their youth, and was trusted by his mother the Queen for decades. He’s worked for the kingdom in many roles, most importantly over the last few years when both Sarah and Steve have been ailing. Now she’s gone, and Steve is left with the certainty that it’s been a mistake to trust Pierce.

He knew it the moment the group gathered around his bed. He looked at all their faces, and suddenly knew all of them were more loyal to Pierce than him. He also knows that since he’s sick, there’s not much he can do about it, no way for him to get his voice heard if they don’t like what he’s going to say.

Steve was informed, in a very respectful manner, but as if there could be no question of it happening, that he is to be married the next day. The marriage would be consummated that night, to make it binding under every law, and the coronation would be held the following day. During the coronation he would give the crown and the power to rule to his husband, since due to his continuing illness he’s too weak to rule himself.

Steve knew then, even with the fever burning up and making his thoughts slow, same as he knows now with clearer head, that there is no possibility of talking his way out, no reasoning with these people; they’ll force him if they have to. He didn’t disagree, he said something non-committal, but he definitely didn’t agree either. There was no way he’d give them his word to bind him. It took all the composure his mother had taken pains to instill into him to not respond with anger. He needs them to think he’s down, he needs them to think he’s been beaten. 

Had he protested, there would no doubt be guards now in his room, making sure he wouldn’t try to escape in any way. Instead he is alone, waiting for the last sounds of the castle to die down as everyone retires to sleep.

There’s a black and silver suit laid out, suitable for mourning, meant to be his wedding outfit. Steve will not wear it. He will not be here tomorrow, he will not marry Lord Rumlow, and he will not give his country over to the usurpers.

He has to admit it’s a good plan on their behalf. Lord Rumlow is highborn enough to be considered as a suitable match, even if he isn’t someone Steve would ever even look at twice. The people of the kingdom probably would accept the marriage and Steve giving up the crown, it would look enough like a peaceful transfer of power, the bloodline gaining new strength by marriage. It wouldn’t be the first time in the history.

Steve knows he will not be able to prevent them from taking the country from him if he stays and tries to protest, he’s obviously too isolated. They must be keeping Sam away from him, probably pretending he needs his rest, and without his trusted friend there’s no way for him to send a word to his friends in the other kingdoms. Peggy, Tony, and Thor would come to his aid, Steve is certain of it, but now he needs a different plan.

What he can, and will do, is to prevent them from accessing the most precious treasure of the kingdom, the protective power wielded by the rulers for centuries. He will not take up the crown willingly, and if he can escape with his life, no one will be able to touch it. For now he is the true heir, and he has no intention of ever giving it up. It is the first duty he’s ever known; to make sure the shield is wielded by someone worthy. Pierce’s group will not have the crown, and they will not have the power of the shield. No matter what happens moving forward, the people will know they do not have the right to the throne.

It’s past midnight when Steve gets up and dresses into practical travel clothes. He’s not feeling anywhere near at full strength, despite the fever having let up at least for now, but he has to try and get away. There are probably guards outside his door, but there are secrets in the castle only Steve’s family knows these days. Including the secret passages out of the royal apartments, built in case there is a need for an escape.

In no time at all Steve has opened the hidden panel in the wall and is heading down the tunnel toward the exit through the walls. Outside he stays in the shadows and heads toward the Forest, meaning to stay near the edge and hopefully shielded from curious eyes as he heads toward Peggy’s kingdom. It’s a long way, but he knows it’s his only chance, he’d be found in no time if he headed for the town, and even if people were to help hide him, they’d only come to trouble. It’s the last thing Steve wants. He’ll have to start out by foot.

***

As the sun peaks over the horizon, it’s obvious Steve hasn’t made as good a time as he would have liked, and that he won’t be able to go much further. The fever is burning him again, and every step is agony. Still, he walks on, now at the edge of the Forest, still as impenetrable as it has always been. There are trees here and there even on their side of the border, not quite enough to really call it a forest, but they do shield him from watchers. He knows his absence may have been discovered already.

An hour later Steve can hear the baying of hounds and the call of hunting horns, and he knows his time is running out. They will find him, there’s no way he’ll be able to outpace them. He’s running out of options, but there are still two, neither one of which Steve much likes, but they are better than being caught. Better than have them take the power to rule from him.

Steve pauses for a second, draws in a deep breath and turns toward the Forest.

He takes a whole three steps into the thicket before he can’t get any further. He tries to back away but can’t, somehow he’s entirely tangled among the branches, the thorns he hadn’t even noticed before attached to his clothes. He spares a second to wonder how exactly he hadn’t noticed them, they’re a good inch long after all. Then he hears the dogs again, definitely closer, and he know his predicament is that much more urgent.

He tries to pull himself free, but to no avail, he’s completely stuck, and it gets worse the more he struggles. He’s getting weaker too, the fever making him almost dizzy. It’ll probably be a quarter of an hour at the most before he’s caught, and he’s running out of options even faster than before.

Steve knows what will happen when they reach him. He will be dragged back and made to comply with their plan, or if they deem him too uncooperative, they will kill him. In the case of the latter, they will still get the crown, spilling the blood of the ruler and all the heirs is a way to command its power. Then they probably wouldn’t have the support of the people, but Steve is under no illusion on whether they will do it.

There is only one thing he can do to prevent them from gaining the power of the shield, and now it seems it is his final duty to his kingdom. If Pierce and his ilk are left without the shield, they won’t be strong enough to go against the rest of the kingdoms. Peggy, Tony, and Thor will have no trouble defeating them. Steve pulls his dagger from his belt. If he dies by his own hand, the line will be broken and the power of the shield and the crown will fade away. It’s his last service to his country, to his friends.

“That’s not your only choice,” a voice says just as Steve tightens his grip on the dagger.

Steve looks up and there’s someone walking toward him, on a path that definitely wasn’t there a moment earlier. He’s dressed in green so dark it’s almost black, long dark hair pulled back. Steve knows he’s not a human, and more than that, he’s familiar, only now appearing to him as a full grown man instead of a child.

“Bucky?”

Bucky smiles, just a bit, appearing perfectly calm. “You remember. That’s good.”

Steve hesitates for a moment. He doesn’t ask for Bucky’s help, because he knows the Fair Folk don’t take kindly to such things, won’t give just for nothing. There is always a deal, and those are always deeper and more complicated than they appear. Still, there’s probably no harm in finding out more.

“What do you mean, not my only choice?”

Bucky pins him down with his gaze as if looking right into Steve. “You can take your life, or you can come with me. You’d be mine, body and soul, forever. You’d also be safe, as would the magical shield tied to you.”

Steve hasn’t feared death for years, not since he started getting more and more sick and it seemed he’d have a short life. He does, on the other hand, value his freedom, and he has no illusions here, he knows agreeing would mean giving it away. Maybe it should be an easy choice to say no, but he hesitates. There’s something in him, an instinct that tells him he should agree, that there are yet new paths to be unveiled, that as long as he’s alive there will still be new chances. There is a strange certainty that it’s the right choice at this moment to surrender to Bucky.

He draws a breath, and closes his eyes, examines his mind. The certainty could be artificial, could be a glamour meant to sway him. Except he thinks he should be able to feel it, he remembers the sluggishness from the last time they met with Bucky. Back then Bucky had used his magic to try and pull him into the forest, but there’s nothing now, and Steve suddenly remembers hearing stories that explain him why. If he agrees while his mind is fully his own, no magical influence on him whatsoever, the bond will be stronger, unbreakable.

Steve opens his eyes, and looks at Bucky. He knows his reasoning is true, the choice he makes will only be influenced by his circumstance, not by magic. He also knows what it means if he agrees, knows what giving up his body and soul implies. He draws a breath, decides he’ll grasp the only straw he can see.

“Yes. I’ll come with you.”

There’s no change in Bucky’s expression, but the branches let go of Steve and pull away from him. He feels something settling over him, wrapping around his heart. It’s the glamour, he realizes, the one that’ll hold him to his promise. He steps forward and he’s in the Forest, he belongs there now. Looking back, he sees there’s no way through where he passed, the thickets create a green wall between him and the land of his birth.

***

They pass through the Forest on paths lit by sunlight through the leaves. Soon enough they come to an entrance to an earthen tunnel, and Steve is somewhat apprehensive at the sight of it, but at least he doesn’t feel claustrophobic inside. It’s wide and dry, tree roots criss-crossing the walls, and there are little pinpricks of light in the ceiling, bright as jewels. They’re going faster than Steve knows he could walk, even when the sensory response from his feet is the same as walking. Bucky has thrown his arm around his shoulders, guiding him through the passage, his large cloak billowing around them.

From the tunnel they come to a vast hall, and they pass through several of them in fast succession. Some of them are made of earth, others carved in rock, and some look like they could be from palaces of mortal rulers, except there are no windows. Steve sees enough to know he’s passing countless wonders, but he doesn’t try to stop and look more closely, since Bucky seems to be in a hurry. His head is pounding as well, the mysterious illness that has bothered him for almost all of his life flaring up again, making it difficult enough to just try and move forward even with support.

He concentrates on staying on his feet, even when he thinks Bucky wouldn’t let him fall if he were to stumble. It’s bizarre, but he has to admit that in this strange place, having given up everything he has, having given up himself, he feels safer than he has since before his mother’s passing. It’s safety that doesn’t quite manage to reassure every part of him.

Finally they come to a comfortable sitting room, furnished with everything one would want, cozy and warm. Bucky’s hands are gentle when he guides Steve to sit down on a cushioned chair. Steve blinks, trying to focus his gaze, but it’s no use, he feels like he’s burning. He must be too, because Bucky’s hand is cool against his face when he holds Steve’s head up and peers into his eyes. Or maybe fairies run cold, since they’re not exactly beings of flesh and blood, no matter how much they look like it.

Bucky offers him a crystal goblet, and Steve just stares at it for a long moment, since he has no idea where it came from. He needs to reorient his brain, he realizes; there’s magic at work everywhere, and things might as well just appear from the thin air. The goblet is filled with blue liquid, the color bright enough to be almost luminous, unnatural in that there are no fruit or berries that can produce a drink with such color.

“It’ll help with the fever,” Bucky says, and helps Steve drink it, steadying his shaking hands.

Steve sips from the goblet, and the effect is instantaneous, there’s both warmth and coolness that floods through him, and his head clears. He very deliberately decides to not be distrustful of the contents. It would make no sense for Bucky to poison him, and if Steve were to refuse it, Bucky could wrap him up in glamour and make him drink. Steve well knows Bucky can make him do whatever he wants.

The goblet disappears as soon as Steve has emptied it. He takes a moment to assess how he feels, and concludes it’s better than he has in years. There’s no trace of the fever or fatigue, and his breathing is easy. Even the aches from travel and the scrapes and bruises he got are gone.

Bucky’s still crouched in front of him, waiting, and Steve looks at him now with clear eyes, without fear and fever clouding his mind. The eyes that look back at him are shifting blue and grey, their color apparently depending on light or mood, and they’re ageless and wise. It occurs to Steve that Bucky probably wasn’t a child when they met for the first time, just posing as one. Now he’s a full grown man in his prime, shoulders wide and jaw strong. He’s beautiful too, as all fairies are, but there’s nothing dainty or delicate about him in a way the Fair Folk usually are portrayed in art. He looks powerful, even when one ignores his magic. 

A strand of dark hair has escaped from where it’s been tied and Steve’s fingers itch to smooth it back. He feels himself flushing at the urge, at the path his mind wants to travel down on, because he has no illusions of what Bucky wants from him. Or he knows in theory at least, in practice it’s a bit hazier, since he doesn’t really have experience in sex to speak of. He was always kept an eye on, being the heir, and there weren’t any real opportunities to experiment.

Bucky’s lips curve into a smile, slow and seductive, as if he knows Steve’s thoughts. Maybe he even does, after all no one really knows what the fairies are capable of. Steve knows he’s full on blushing now, but doesn’t look away, keeps his eyes on Bucky, and he doesn’t miss the amused glint in Bucky’s eyes.

Bucky takes a hold of his hands, and it’s only now he realizes Bucky’s hands don’t match, the left one is silver in color, made of some kind of metal, smooth plates that allow it to move just like his right one. There’s no time to wonder about it, since Bucky pulls him up to his feet and there is a shift, as if the world blinks, and they’re in a different room, standing next to a large bed.

Bucky plucks at Steve’s sleeve, the fabric torn and stained, and quirks his mouth with displeasure. His glamour again wraps around Steve, cradling him, and suddenly he’s naked, his clothes wished away. 

Bucky pulls Steve to him and tilts his head up, metal fingers gentle against his jaw, and they’re kissing. Steve lets his mouth be coaxed open, surrenders to the kiss. He doesn’t quite know if it’s the glamour around him or just him, but he goes pliant, hands grasping at Bucky’s shirt, giving himself up for whatever Bucky wants.

He should be more nervous, Steve thinks, since it’s his first time, or maybe he should be repulsed even by the idea, considering how even though he agreed, fully aware, it’s not like he had many other choices. Yet he’s neither, just waiting, and there’s a part of him that can’t help but wonder if his calm is all him, or just something encouraged by magic. It’s a part that’s fast getting silenced, drowned in the halfway tentative pleasure and anticipation curling in Steve’s stomach.

Unlike Steve, Bucky’s still fully dressed, only his cloak has been thrown away, and in the haze of his mind Steve wonders what kind of fabric his shirt is made of, because it’s surprisingly soft and cool against his exposed skin. An image of lying on summer grass comes to Steve’s mind for some reason, disappearing as soon as it appeared when Bucky moves to kiss and lick his way down his throat. Bucky’s hands roam over his skin, one of them leaving hot trail after it, the other cool.

Steve’s breathing hard by now, and he notes the blue draught must be helping for other things than just the fever, because for several years now breathing this hard has led to his airways trying to close. Now they stay clear, his lungs drawing in air breath after breath. Even so, it all feels like it’s too much, a whole host of new sensations called up by Bucky’s hands and mouth, and all Steve can do is hang on to Bucky trying to will his trembling knees to keep supporting him.

Bucky seems to realize his predicament, or maybe he’s just furthering things along, because he pauses with a last kiss onto the hollow of Steve’s throat before fully lifting Steve up and laying him on the bed. Bucky follows crawling after and over Steve who’s trying to gather his thoughts. Bucky closes his hands gently over Steve’s wrists and pulls them up to both sides of his head, pressing gently down. He gets the idea, that Bucky wants him to stay where he is, and it douses the minute threads of embarrassment that have tried to creep up. After all, can’t do much wrong if his partner wants him to be passive.

It almost immediately gets hard to stay where he’s been laid out to, because Bucky closes his lips over one of his nipples and Steve jolts with pleasure. He grabs a hold of the sheets that are impossibly smooth, sliding against his heating skin like water. Bucky continues to map his body with his lips and Steve arches to the touch wanting more. He’s painfully hard already, and Bucky hasn’t even touched his cock yet, there’s is the occasional brush against fabric when Bucky moves above him, but no friction, no relief.

Steve realizes he’s making noise, panting and moaning, the sounds drawn from him by Bucky’s skillful hands and lips. It’s a surprise because he’s used to keeping quiet when getting himself off, so much that it’s automatic these days. Back at the castle there were always people nearby, and Steve didn’t want to broadcast to everyone what he was doing. Now the reflex seems to be gone, resistance forgotten.

Bucky moves down his body, spreads his legs open and gets between them, holding onto his knees to keep them  apart. There’s just a moment of self-consciousness that Steve feels when Bucky pauses to look at him, and he knows the flush that’s been dappling his skin deepens, can feel the heat gathering on his cheeks under Bucky’s gaze.

It all gets flooded away when Bucky bends down and takes Steve’s cock in his mouth. The next moan is almost punched from Steve, and he grasps at the sheets again in almost confusion, because it’s nothing like he’s ever experienced. He’s hazy in his head and he has no idea what Bucky is actually doing, just that it’s heavenly and he can’t get enough of it.

When he was getting to know Steve’s body earlier Bucky was slow about it, maddeningly so, but no more. Now Steve gets pulled to the height of bliss at a relentless pace, all he can do is hang on and feel, and it completely surprises him when he crests over into an orgasm, coming into Bucky’s mouth. He thinks that maybe he should have warned Bucky, but he guesses it’s fine, Bucky doesn’t seem to mind, just keeps sucking at him until the waves pass and the tension leaves his body.

Steve lies on the bed panting, unable to move from the force of his orgasm, having been completely unprepared for the intensity. Bucky jostles him, still kneeling between his legs, and Steve forces his eyes open despite the haze that lingers. It’s well worth the effort, because Bucky tosses his shirt away, revealing his muscled body, as well as the fact that the metal goes all the way up to shoulder, silver contrasting against his tanned skin.

He’s beautiful, and in a moment of clarity Steve’s fingers itch for a sketchbook and charcoals, or maybe even a canvas and paints. He wants to figure out the definition of the muscles, the desire darkening Bucky’s eyes. It’s yet another short lived thought, because Bucky lies down on top of him, his warm body covering Steve completely. Now when they kiss there’s a slightly bitter taste in Bucky’s mouth; his taste, Steve realizes, and it goes in his head.

Bucky kisses him for a while more, licking into his mouth, completely in control all the time. Steve lets go of the sheets now and gets his hands on Bucky, wanting to feel more of the skin and metal. Bucky’s well-defined muscles shift under Steve’s touch, and it’s exhilarating to him, since he’s only used to his own slim body. He can’t get enough of it, the all too obvious strength coiled in the man moving above him, and Steve grasps harder, drags his fingertips down Bucky’s sides, learning his body. Bucky groans with pleasure and grinds his hips against Steve’s. He’s obviously hard, and Steve’s blood is rushing downward again, which is definitely new for him, up until now he’s never even considered trying to come more than once any given time.

Bucky pushes himself back up to his knees and Steve lets out a sound of complaint that makes Bucky huff out a laughter. The protest dies and Steve’s mouth goes dry when he sees Bucky untie his trousers and push them down to reveal his hard cock. He’s big, so much so that Steve is inclined to worry about it, but he finds he wants it too, wants what Bucky is going to give him. Bucky kicks away the rest of his clothes while Steve looks, fascinated by the shadows playing on Bucky’s skin under the dim lights of the room.

Bucky lowers himself on top of Steve again, not all the way, holding himself up with the metal arm and takes both their cocks into his right, starting to slowly stroke. Steve grasps at Bucky’s shoulders, and again there’s not much else he can do, his brain falling into the haze of pleasure as Bucky bends down to kiss him on the lips, the cheeks, the dip of his throat. In no time he’s fully hard again, and Bucky pushes himself up to his knees and takes something, a little crystal bottle, out of the air.

Bucky pushes Steve’s legs a pit further apart again, and Steve shifts, feeling exposed especially as there’s a slick warm finger at his entrance. Bucky doesn’t hesitate but pushes in slowly, all the while looking Steve right in the eyes. His gaze is too intense to bear, and Steve lets his eyes close, his breath coming in at gasps as Bucky keeps moving his hand. Steve doesn’t know what he’s doing but it feels good, the stretch and fullness new and exciting, and he wants more. Maybe he even asks for it, Steve doesn’t know anymore if he’s talking, or maybe Bucky just knows, because there’s another finger pushing in too. Steve is just getting used to the additional stretch, and right then Bucky brushes something inside him that lights him up from the tip of the toes to the top of his head, and Steve lets out a shout without even meaning to.

Bucky keeps wringing pleasure out of Steve, fingers steadily gaining in rhythm, and he bends down and takes Steve’s cock in his mouth once more. Steve feels like he’s drowning by then, drowning and flying at the same time, trying to move his hips but not able to due to the steady grasp of Bucky’s metal hand on him. Bucky pushes yet another finger in and Steve comes again, spilling into Bucky’s mouth, writhing and going lax. He’s fairly sure every muscle of his is spasming, and he couldn’t move even if he tried. All through it Bucky’s fingers keep moving inside him, and after the climax it’s almost too much, too sensitive, and at the same time Steve wants more, which is why he whimpers when Bucky pulls his hand away.

Steve has no time to even think of protesting, because Bucky turns him around on his stomach, pulls him up so he’s resting on his knees and elbows. Steve has just enough fortitude to keep himself from collapsing before Bucky grabs his hips and pushes in, slow and steady. Steve is well open so it doesn’t hurt, but it is a lot, the steady pressure of Bucky’s cock intensifying as it slides in. It feels like forever before Bucky’s seated, his hips resting against Steve’s.

Steve digs his fingers into the sheets, panting into the fabric, filled like he never imagined would happen. It’s too much and not enough at the same time, he’s burning hot and all he can feel is Bucky over him and inside him.

Bucky starts moving then, pulling out and pushing back in, slowly at first but gaining speed when Steve takes it without trouble, and soon enough even the last thoughts leave Steve’s head and all he can do is feel. He loses time as Bucky fucks him, his knees give away and he’s pushed on his stomach, Bucky covering him wholly with his body, his hips never losing their pace. Bucky’s making noise now as well, he was mostly quiet as he wrung the first two orgasms out of Steve but now he’s letting loose, gasping and groaning.

Steve is blissed out, only barely registering when Bucky’s rhythm stutters. It’s a distinct sensation when Bucky comes, there’s warmth that floods into him, and it doesn’t stop in his stomach, Steve feels it all around his body. It’s yet another demonstration of how Bucky’s not a being of flesh and blood, but magic, and now it’s flushing through Steve, who comes again as well, surprising himself by cresting over despite being already spent twice.

Steve floats afterward, pressed into the sheets, Bucky resting on him, warm and solid. He drifts, exhausted by the exertion, and only half notices Bucky pulling away, and a moment of something cool wrapping around him, yet another glamour cleaning him and the bed. The last thing he’s aware of is a kiss pressed between his shoulder blades and the covers pulled over him.

Steve sleeps.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve wakes up with a feeling that it must be morning, even though there’s nothing to indicate it in his windowless room underground. There’s no trace of the fever, or the usual fatigue that lingers after an illness. Neither are there bruises or cuts from his escape the previous day, even though Steve well remembers the thorns having drawn blood. His skin is all smooth and flawless. 

There is a bit of muscle strain that he feels as he shifts, but not from his travel; instead there’s a pleasant ache at his inner thighs and inside him. It’s nothing that bothers him, especially compared to every other ache he’s had, but he definitely feels it. 

He’s all alone.

He’s not sure of how he wants to feel about it; on one hand it’s a relief to be able to adjust to the strange place at his own time, but it also makes him hesitate, makes him wonder why exactly Bucky brought him here. One purpose is quite clear, just as Steve expected, seeing how Bucky took him to bed the first chance he had, but Steve can’t help but think it’s not all, especially when he thinks back to how considerate Bucky was toward him. He might be deluding himself, as far as the tales go there aren’t that many things the Fair Folk want from his kind.

There’s no leaving now even if he were to regret his decision, which Steve doesn’t, at least not yet. He’s still alive, the power of the shield is still tied to him and hence out of reach for everyone else, which is better than alternatives, even when he’s not free to go as he pleases. He can feel his promise to Bucky, can feel the glamour wrapped around his heart. The spell is breathing along with him, it has worked itself into every last inch of his skin.

He looks around the room that he assumes is meant to be his. The bed is large and comfortable, he slept well despite being in a new place, and he’s fully warm under the soft covers. The room isn’t cold even though it’s clearly carved straight into bedrock and there’s no fireplace. It should be chilly, like the cellars of the castle of Steve’s birth are even in high summer, but here it’s more comfortable than even the royal apartments he’s lived his life manage to be. There are countless little lights dotting the ceiling, dim when he slept, brightening up the moment he sat up. The light is soft and warm, like sunlight through foliage, except there’s no greenish tint in it.

The room is fully furnished with everything one would need in a bedroom, with a dressing table and a mirror, as well as a stand for washbasin. There’s a towel hanging from an ornate hook on the wall. Steve decides he can’t stay in bed all day waiting for what is going to happen, so he slides out, completely naked, and he wonders for a moment if Bucky intends for him to stay that way, since there’s no sign of clothes anywhere. First things first, he decides, he can worry about it when he’s clean.

The water is just the perfect temperature and the soap laid out has the faintest flowery scent. When he’s done Steve turns to find his bed made and a simple outfit laid out on top of it. There hasn’t been anyone in, but maybe that’s how things work here, by magic. He probably shouldn’t be surprised. He dresses and finds everything fits perfectly, even the soft boots are just the right size. He again notes the fabrics feel nothing like he’s used to, maybe the finest silks he’s seen come close. Then again, for all he knows fairies make their clothes out of spider silk and flower petals.

He combs his hair, noting that the washstand has been tidied, water gone and a new dry towel folded on the stool next to it. It’s not the only change he notices, there’s a crystal goblet filled with the now familiar blue draught on top of the small table by the bed, as well as a wrapped parcel tied with a silken bow.

Steve is feeling well, better than he has in years, and he knows it must have something to do with the blue drink, and he doesn’t hesitate to empty the goblet again. Maybe drinking it regularly will make his continuous health problems ease. The goblet vanishes from his hand as soon as he’s done; as if the room now knows he’s not going to freak out about it.

The parcel quite obviously is a gift from Bucky, and Steve contemplates it for a moment before picking it up. He wonders what it signifies, is it a token of affection, or just an exchange. Steve knows in the court there were several men and women who exchanged their physical services for gifts from the lords and ladies so inclined, doing very well for themselves. At least in stories it is a practice that exists in the fairy courts as well.

Regardless the reason, it’s a gift for Steve, and he’s meant to receive it, so he does. Better to go along with it now that Bucky holds all the power over him, and it’s not like it’s a hardship to get presents. It turns out to be a book, beautifully bound in leather, pressed ornamental leaves and flowers on the cover. As he riffles it, he discovers it’s a story book of sorts, containing tales of fairies but not through the eyes of humans, only their own. The thoughtfulness surprises him, and makes him less inclined to think that it’s a price paid for something. If that were the case he would have expected something symbolic or extravagant. Instead he got something that’ll potentially help him understand the world he’s been pulled into. He takes the book with him as he goes to the adjoining room.

The delicious smell of food greets him, and Steve realizes he’s ravenous. The meal is laid out on a small table, and must have been brought in just now, since everything is just just right. Steve eats, even when he doesn’t know what half the foods consist of. Everything is delicious, and he’s soon satisfied. He pours another cup of tea, takes it to the little table next to the most comfortable looking armchair and opens his book.

***

Steve looks up from his book when the door leading out of his rooms opens. No one comes in, so it probably means he should go out instead. He leaves the book on the table by the chair, still immersed in the world of the stories. They aren’t always easy to decipher, referring to things that must be self-evident to the fairies but less so to Steve. Still, he understands enough, and is tentatively thinking that the fairies in some ways aren’t that different from mortals, the most basic things they want often come to the same roots, but the culture and customs are wildly different.

Outside his room is a long corridor, carved into rock, the walls smooth as glass. There are large veins of quartz running across the walls, and here too little lights in the ceiling greet him. 

It suddenly occurs to Steve he hasn’t even thought of leaving his rooms, hasn’t even looked outside until now, and it is unusual for him. Maybe it’s the glamour, discouraging him from looking around, keeping him placid. It’s an unsettling thought.

A door across from him opens, and Steve finds a large bath there, sunken in stone. He shrugs at himself, strips, and gets into the water that entirely unsurprisingly is just the perfect temperature. There is a slight glow to it, and he can’t tell if it’s the bath or the water itself, but it feels almost active somehow, loosening his shoulders drawn tight by the hours spent reading. Steve leans back and enjoys it.

There is a different set of clothes waiting for him when he climbs out of the bath, more formal now with an embroidered jacket added to the shirt and pants. When he’s ready he finds a line of little lights guiding him down the corridor instead of back to his rooms. Clearly he’s being expected.

It takes a while for Steve to walk wherever he’s being led to. It feels completely impractical that the distances are so large, especially if he’s supposed to make the trip regularly, but on the other hand, it’s not boring, because the corridors and rooms he passes are beautiful, and he doesn’t hurt. He doesn’t remember the last time he walked continuously for more than a couple of minutes without it hurting, which means at least something in his life has improved. At the back of his head is still the worry about his country and his people under the rule of Lord Pierce, but at least they don’t have the shield, and Steve is still alive. He’s captive here, despite the luxurious surroundings and how Bucky seems to want to be kind to him, but it’s still better than dead.

His instincts deep inside him tell him the choice he made is the right one, that there’s more in his future still than just being a fairy’s plaything for the rest of his life. He clings to that thought, for all that a part of him, the more cynical side, can’t help but point out he might be just imagining it to make it easier to bear everything that has happened.

He finally comes to a large hall where the different colored quartz veins combine in patterns and waves in the ceiling. In the middle of the room stands a large dining table laden with food, two ornate chairs at the ends. There’s Bucky as well, his hands clasped behind his back, shoulders relaxed as he waits. As soon as he sees Steve he steps forward, takes his hand, and leads him to one of the chairs before sitting at the other end of the table.

There are several dishes Steve doesn’t recognize in gracefully shaped bowls and piled high on large trays. There are crystal decanters filled with various drinks too, and it’s all far more than the two of them can eat on one sitting.

There’s no one else in the room, and as he was walking through the corridors and from what he remembers of when Bucky first brought him here, Steve never saw anyone either. He wonders suddenly if Bucky is completely alone. Wonders if he’s lonely. Maybe it is the reason for him to have brought Steve here.

As they eat they talk about trivialities, it’s small talk just the same as is common at Steve’s home court, and he doesn’t even have to think about it, it comes naturally enough. Instead he turns his attention to really looking at Bucky. He hasn’t yet, not with a completely clear mind, having been impaired with either fever or bliss before.

He already noticed how beautiful Bucky is the previous day, and it wasn’t just something brought by the moment, he really is, but now Steve sees more. Bucky is clearly confident and comfortable in himself, sure of his stance in the world, but Steve gets the feeling it has come with a price. There’s something in his eyes on occasion, a far off look, a line of remembered pain by his mouth. And there’s the silver arm too, clearly telling a story of loss. Steve wants to ask about it, but he doesn’t, probably won’t for a long time. He understand there are hurts that require trust before they can be put in words.

There’s also a contradiction in Bucky; for all his confidence, there’s a thread of insecurity in him whenever he looks at Steve. There’s the smile that is just a touch hesitant, as if he’s unsure if it’s welcome. And maybe it should be unwelcome, maybe Steve shouldn’t be so accommodating of his captor, for all that he saved his life too. Yet, there is something in Steve’s heart that draws him toward Bucky, something that was there already back when they first met when he was a child, and he doesn’t think it’s the glamour.

The little uncertainty from Bucky is what gives Steve courage to ask a real question, not just keep to trivialities. He knows it’ll bring them closer to each other, and he very deliberately takes that step.

“About the glamour and my promise, does it affect how I’m thinking?”

Bucky tilts his head. “Why would you think that?”

“Today I spent the entire day in my room, I didn’t even think of going out to explore until the door opened. It’s not usual for me, so I wondered if that’s how the glamour works, just by discouraging curiosity.”

“No, that’s not it, but there is a reason. I forgot to tell you, and I’m sorry. I just haven’t had humans here in a very long time. It’s that everything here is infused with glamour, and your human subconsciousness naturally shies back from it, sticking to what you know. It won’t harm you, and you should get used to it in a few days. It’s like walking into bright light, or into darkness for that matter, it takes a while for your eyes to get used to it.”

“Oh.” Steve can’t help but be relieved, for all that he knows Bucky’s spell is holding him, he still likes to know his mind is his own.

Bucky appears to understand, and isn’t offended by it. “You can go wherever you like within my realm. The glamour will prevent you from leaving, but here everything is open to you.”

“How will I know where the borders are?”

“You’ll feel it. It’ll be like a barrier in the air, but it won’t hurt you unless you try to force through.”

Bucky seems open to questions, so Steve asks the one that has his curiosity piqued. “Is there anyone else here? All this space, and I’ve only seen you.”

“No. There used to be more of us, but they’ve mostly retreated farther toward the heart of our Forest. Here on the edges there are only a few fairies left. I have friends that visit me, or I visit them, but mostly it’s just me.”

They talk a bit more as they eat, nothing quite so profound, but no longer meaningless trivialities. Steve thanks Bucky for the book, and tells him he truly enjoyed reading it. Bucky seems pleased to hear it, his smile brightening his whole face. 

When they’re drinking the last sips of wine the atmosphere in the room switches, just a bit. Maybe it’s the way Bucky looks at him, as if he’s going to be the dessert. And well, it’s not like Steve didn’t guess there would be more sex after the meal. It’s not an idea he opposes. 

Bucky keeps looking at him, and Steve feels a flush rising on his cheeks. Bucky’s eyes crinkle at the sight, and it’s almost difficult looking at him, but Steve does, there’s more than enough stubbornness in him for that. The air shifts in the room, there are tendrils of glamour caressing him, similarly as Steve remembers from the previous night. He wonders if it’s deliberate, if Bucky’s doing it to make it easier, to make Steve pliant or if it happens naturally, if it’s just part of how fairy sex works. There was nothing on the subject in Steve’s book, so maybe he should ask for another.

Bucky waves his hand and the table vanishes from between them, leaving them sitting a few steps apart. Bucky shifts, opening his knees and Steve can’t help it, his eyes are drawn down, and it’s immediately obvious Bucky is well on his way to getting hard. He swallows, his throat suddenly dry, and Bucky reaches his hand out for him.

“Come.”

Steve is mostly sure there’s no magic in the command, but there might as well be, since there’s nothing he can do but obey and go to Bucky. Nothing else he wants to do, either.

Bucky pulls him into a kiss, a little awkward since Steve on his feet is taller than Bucky sitting, but neither of them mind. As he kisses, still as demanding and consuming as the previous night, Bucky is busy with his clothes, his hands making quick work of the tiny buttons of the shirt. Steve is a bit unsure of what to do with his own hands, so he settles with brushing them into Bucky’s hair, enjoying the silkiness of the strands among his fingers. Bucky makes a pleased sound and licks into his mouth as he pulls Steve’s pants down and helps Steve out of his boots.

Bucky lets go of his mouth and takes a hold of his hips, one warm, one colder hand, and Steve shivers looking down to the shimmering eyes that are all blue now. Bucky pulls him closer and mouths up his exposed stomach, kissing and licking paths here and there. Steve is getting hard too, especially with the silver thumb smoothing the skin over one hip bone, and Bucky’s right hand caressing up and down his thigh.

Steve squirms and Bucky looks up, propping his chin against his stomach. “I’m not going to fuck you today. You are a delight, but you might be sore from yesterday, and I don’t want you to hurt.”

Gently Bucky guides Steve down to kneel between his legs, and even though Steve could have sworn he was standing on a stone floor just seconds before, there’s now a plush rug under his knees, soft and comfortable. Bucky undoes the string holding his pants closed and pulls out his cock, hard and thick already, and it’s not unclear to Steve what is expected of him.

Sometimes in the court Steve heard men talk of getting their cocks sucked by girls or boys, and he remembers often feeling uncomfortable by the tone they used of the people doing it for them, how it was considered a subservient position. And here and now, kneeling in front of Bucky, naked while he’s still nearly completely dressed, maybe Steve should feel like that. Only just the day before Bucky went down on him, not once but twice, doing it for him. Maybe Bucky is taking from him, maybe all of this is taking from him, but it’s not like Steve isn’t getting anything back. He is, and so it doesn’t feel like he’s being put down even when he’s on his knees.

If he were to doubt it, he’d stop the moment he looks up to Bucky’s eyes. He looks almost reverent, his pupils blown and lips parted, his fingers gently caressing Steve’s head. All that, and he hasn’t even touched Bucky yet. It makes Steve eager to see what happens when he does, and the final bits of worry fall off.

Almost all of them, anyway. There’s the bit that Steve’s never done this, and Bucky’s cock is huge, Steve isn’t sure how he’s supposed to get it into his mouth. He’s always been determined though, and there was that book at the back shelf in the royal library he probably wasn’t supposed to know about but that was very educational. Besides, with Bucky looking at him the way he does, Steve is feeling optimistic that maybe he’s willing to give him time to learn.

He shifts to a better position on his knees to get steadier and takes Bucky’s cock in his hand, giving it a few experimental pulls, runs his thumb over the head. Bucky literally groans at it, and Steve can’t help smiling at how a simple touch gets such a reaction. There’s a fleeting curiosity of how often Bucky’s actually had sex, he’s skilled obviously, but he also said he’s been alone a lot. So maybe it’s been a while. 

Steve pushes the thought away when Bucky curls his hand behind his head, pulling him forward. It’s gentle, suggestion instead of a demand, and Steve suddenly knows that if he stopped Bucky would let him, and that’s finally what makes him bold enough to bend his head down and suck the tip of Bucky’s cock into his mouth. He swirls his tongue around the tip, and there’s a hint of bitterness from the leaking precome. It’s not really unpleasant, and the way Bucky curses when Steve hollows his cheeks and gives it an experimental suck is extremely rewarding.

He pushes forward, taking more of Bucky in his mouth, until he feels he’s about to gag and pulls back. No way he’s taking all of it in, but Steve figures out how to keep a steady rhythm with his hand and mouth at the same time and sets to it earnestly. 

Bucky’s loud now, more than he was the day before, moaning and cursing and pleading. His hand stays on Steve’s head, but it’s always light, never forcing him to take more, just caressing. The air around them is moving too, the currents of glamour tickling Steve, wrapping around him, and he too is completely hard without being touched that much at all.

Bucky comes with a shout, spilling into Steve’s mouth and he reflexively swallows down. It’s like warmth exploding inside him, enveloping him from inside, and he remembers again Bucky’s a being of magic, every part of him, even his come. It goes into his head like the strongest spirits, except there will probably be no hangover from this.

Bucky’s cock slips from his mouth, and Bucky pulls him up on his lap, knees spread, every bit of skin like an exposed nerve. Steve shouts when Bucky’s warm hand closes around his cock, he feels over sensitive already even when he hasn’t come at all, just felt Bucky’s pleasure. He’s got no coordination in his muscles, can barely loop his arms around Bucky’s shoulders, rest his forehead against Bucky’s neck and just feel the contrast of warm fingers around his cock, the cool left hand roaming all over his heated skin.

The orgasm crashes over Steve, he spills over Bucky’s hand and slumps against him, unable to move. He draws breath, trying to even it out, to quiet his racing heart, and now the current of glamour is cool, cleansing. All the stickiness between them is gone in a blink of an eye.

Bucky ruffles his hair and presses a kiss on his temple, lingering there. Steve relaxes more into the touch and lets himself just be.

In another moment Bucky gets to his feet, Steve still in his arms, taking the extra weight without straining. Not that Steve is heavy, but still. Steve well knows normally he would be protesting, after he got sicker and weaker he needed help getting around sometimes, and he hated it, especially if he needed to be carried. Now he just snuggles closer and hooks his ankles behind Bucky’s back.

It’s just the second day, and he’s already learned a lot of new things about himself here. He doesn’t really know if it’s just him or if it’s the magic, but for now he can’t find it in himself to care.

They pass through the hallways, and Steve drifts further toward sleep. He’s nearly there when Bucky lays him down on the bed and pulls the covers over him. He presses another kiss on Steve’s temple, and whispers something against the skin, so quiet Steve can’t hear it. He’s sleeping before he can think to ask.

***

The third day is much the same as the second; Steve wakes up alone, washes himself, and dresses. His knees feel achy, but maybe he shouldn’t have expected anything else to result from the previous day. It’s not that they bother him exactly, there’s no bruising or swelling, and it sort of reminds him of when his knees ached when he was a child. Growing pains. No more of those for him.

Yet again there’s a goblet filled with blue drink, and as he downs it Steve hopes it’ll help with all kinds of ailments. There must be a purpose for him to still be drinking it, since the fever isn’t looking like it’s coming back.

There is another gift too; a beautifully carved wooden jewelry box. Inside is a delicate cravat pin, the gemstone on it reflecting out light in every color of the rainbow. Steve’s never seen anything like it.

After breakfast he considers taking a look around, but he’s feeling lethargic, reluctant, and he decides to wait at least another day to help himself get used to the magic in the air. He picks up his book instead, and finds the place he left at the day before. His knees could probably use the rest too.

He’s again called to the bath by the door opening, and Steve figures this will be a pattern, instead of just the first day being special. As he lounges in the warm water he considers his situation, thinking of what might have been.

If Pierce hadn’t arranged the take-over, he’d be a king, in theory at least. It would be his birthright, but Steve is realistic enough to know he’d have a hard time holding the power, considering how sick he’s been. Even advisers thinking about the best for the country instead of their own benefit might well suggest he transfer the power to someone who’d be able to carry out the daily duties, most likely to his spouse. Steve hates to admit it would have been reasonable advise.

He then would have been a nobleman with nothing serious to do, his duties ceremonial, and often toward his union rather than his country. Not too different from his life now, Steve thinks. Only, if he considers it purely from what kind of a personal relationship it might have been had he married someone for political reasons, Steve suspects he’s probably winning with Bucky. 

If everything had progressed normally, his marriage would have been an arrangement, and the other party most likely drawn by the station in life rather than him, maybe even chosen for their capability of being a ruler. Steve wouldn’t have married for love, there isn’t anyone like that for him. Never was after he realized fairly early nothing could ever happen with Peggy, since she too was an heir to the throne, now a Queen by her own right.

Here and now, Bucky looks at him the way Steve never believed anyone would. It’s obvious Bucky wants him, and makes an effort to please him, not just worrying about himself. And Steve too, as bizarre as it feels to him when he looks at it rationally, wants to be good to Bucky, wants to get to know him. He wants to stay, if what he thinks he sees is true. The realization is scary, it feels like he’s tightening his shackles more, rather than just resigning to his fate.

He wonders what Sam would say about all this. Probably that the kindness that Bucky has displayed has clouded Steve’s judgment, and it might even be true. It just doesn’t matter, Steve thinks. He’s not leaving, he’s tied to this place now, so maybe he should try to build his life here the best he can.

It rankles him, to not be able to fulfill the role his mother raised him for, wonders if she’d be disappointed in him. But no, he doesn’t think so. She’d probably understand how he’s been working with the few choices he has. After all, she prepared him for all eventualities, even betrayal, and stressed that the first duty would always be to make sure the usurpers wouldn’t get to the magical protections. As it is, he’s protected the kingdom the best he can, and he hopes it’s enough. Maybe it’s time to let go, the same way the water flows off his body as he steps out of the basin. If only it were so easy.

This time instead of a jacket there’s a vest and a scarf waiting for him, and the wooden jewelry box is now laid next to them. Steve dresses with care, and pins the scarf down with Bucky’s gift. Later, when Bucky’s lips curve into a smile when he sees him wearing it, Steve’s heart skips a beat.

Even later, when he’s on his back on his bed, Bucky taking him apart with his steady thrusts, strong arms bracketing him, Steve looks up and knows from how Bucky looks at him that it’s not just this between them, not just sex. Whatever the reason Bucky brought him into his realm for, it isn’t because he just wanted a warm body.

He wanted Steve specifically, and now Bucky has him.


	3. Chapter 3

There have always been patterns in Steve’s life, things regularly repeating, and now there’s yet another. The way his days progress are similar in broad strokes, only the details vary.

There’s always the blue drink waiting for him, and with it a gift, somehow always something he likes. There are beautiful or funny little objects, often books, sometimes delicious fruit that Steve doesn’t know the names for. One time there is a book made of heavy and smooth paper, the pages blank, and pencils to go with it. Steve’s heart wants to burst at the sight of it. There’s more, bit by bit. Charcoals and big sheets of paper, an easel, paints and brushes and canvases.

On the fourth day after breakfast Steve decides to finally start exploring. Bucky has said his realm is large, but only now Steve starts to get an inkling of how large exactly, with its criss-crossing tunnels and larger rooms, the purpose of some Steve can only guess. Some are all carved of stone, others burrowed into earth, tree roots and magic holding up the ceilings. Some of the rooms are furnished as living spaces, others are almost like galleries, filled with curiosities.

Steve can’t explore everything at one go, it feels like he’ll never see everything, but he makes the morning treks regular, partly because the exercise feels good, and there’s always something new to see. He doesn’t need to worry about getting lost, the path of lights guides him back whenever he wants to.

He always has a dinner with Bucky, and it’s the only time of day Steve sees him. Bucky never comes to his rooms during the day, they never run into each other in the apparently endless number of corridors. Steve wonders what Bucky does while they’re apart, but he doesn’t ask. Bucky never really volunteers anything, which makes Steve unsure if it’s his place to know.

When they’re together, Steve enjoys spending time with Bucky. They get more comfortable with each other, and there’s a sense of humor that starts to appear in Bucky, often dry and sarcastic, and it has Steve in stitches often enough. The topics of their conversation are varied, and after a while Steve starts asking about the Fair Folk, and Bucky tells him of their history and their lives beyond the stories Steve has read, about their wishes and their values.

They always have sex after dinner, and fairly soon Steve admits to himself that he waits for it just as much as discussions with Bucky. Bit by bit he gets more confident about it, less worried of what’s right, and instead starts to think it doesn’t have to be perfectly executed if everyone’s feeling good, there’s space to experiment. He starts to push sometimes, climbs on top of Bucky, and it’s wonderful how he looks up to Steve, gripping tight at his hips, the contrast of warm and cool.

Yet other times Steve wants to let go and float, to let Bucky touch him and wring every bit of pleasure out of him, and he can get it all. He never expected sex could be like this, could be this multifaceted. He wants all of it, and he wants more. Sometimes he wonders if it’s just the glamour that’s wrapped around him, if it’s the magic that pours out of Bucky every time they come together that makes him crave it. Yet, on the calm moments, mornings spent all alone, if he thinks of it, he still wants Bucky, wants all of this, and he has to believe it’s true. It scares him too, how fast he has fallen into it all, but he never was one to let himself be deterred by something he fears.

They always end up in his room at the end of the day, Steve falls asleep satisfied wrapped in Bucky’s arms, and he always wakes up alone. Bucky always leaves, Steve is fairly sure it happens soon after he’s drifted away, that he never stays for longer. It is the pattern of this life, and Steve does his best to accept it, that this is what he now has.

He sometimes considers asking for more, asking for Bucky to stay, but he pushes those thoughts away as soon as they come.

***

Starting from the early days with Bucky Steve notices he’s feeling much better than he has for years. Yet, sometimes there are inexplicable aches in his joints and muscles, as if he’s been running or doing hard physical labor, and he never has. They come and go, never lasting too long, or even bothering him too much, but they are still there, a sign of something happening. Steve debates asking about it, but he never quite knows how to broach the subject, and in the end Bucky’s the one to bring it up.

It’s after dinner, and they’re back in Steve’s room, half naked already, the tug of passion there but not yet all consuming. Steve is straddled over Bucky’s hips, and Bucky is running his palm over his back, a broad sweep down, fingers counting knobs of spine going up.

“Your spine is straightening,” Bucky says, almost absent-minded, but it brings Steve to halt.

“What?”

“You haven’t noticed? It’s almost there, the curve is almost natural now.”

Steve stares at Bucky, feels the warm palm still against his skin, thinks. It’s true he’s had less pain in his back recently, has had easier time settling to sleep, but it shouldn’t be possible for it to just heal on its own. There is only one possibility he can see.

“It’s the blue drink, isn’t it?”

“Yes. It was created by one of my kind, Erskine by name. He was captured by the kingdom of HYDRA, and they made him create a potion that would make human beings stronger. It also helps to cure illnesses. But the serum is a double edged sword, it builds upon the person, upon their soul, and if they start out twisted, as the HYDRA followers generally are, the end result is like that too. You though, you have nothing to worry about.”

Steve sits there on Bucky’s lap, the mismatched hands still on him, and he’s clearly waiting what Steve’s going to say. He’s known the blue drink helped him feel better, but it’s more than he expected. 

“The medicine of your people is fairly extreme,” he finally says. “All that for fever.”

Bucky looks up to him, brushes fallen strands of hair out of his eyes. “Not just fever, it was but one of the symptoms. You’ve been poisoned, slowly over many years. Ever since you were a child. I could tell it, back when we first met. That’s why I tried to get you to come with me, so you’d be safe. All the ailments you’ve had are due to the poisoning, but the serum can flush it all out, can give you back what was robbed of you. The strength of your bones and muscles, the ease of breathing, steadiness of your heart. All that potential you should have grown into.”

It’s a mind-boggling idea, that every hurt he’s suffered from over the years can be, not canceled, he lived through them, but compensated maybe. That he now knows even his spine is straightening opens a whole new vistas to him. Maybe he can one day run for more than a minute without bursting, maybe he’ll never again have to worry about breath being stolen from his lungs.

Bucky’s giving the possibility to him now, and even years earlier wanted him safe. Steve still doesn’t know exactly why, but it tells him enough. There are no words in the world to thank Bucky for something like this, it’s too huge to comprehend really. Instead he just kisses Bucky, trying to communicate his gratitude without words.

They’re all the way naked when Steve winces, his back has been achy that day, and now he knows the reason. The recent strange aches and pains are results of his body healing in a very extreme way. Bucky notices of course, and pauses to set Steve gently down on the pillows.

“We can stop, if it hurts. I don’t want you in pain.”

Steve feels himself flushing, and debates on how much detail to go with. “No, we can continue. Actually, I don’t know why, but it seems to help, really. Takes the pain away.”

Bucky doesn’t look surprised really, just grins.

“I’m glad to hear it works with humans too, I wasn’t sure. You see, sex is significant for my kind, there’s a lot of magic in it.”

“I know, I can feel it.”

“Even for mortals there’s the pleasure rather than just means of procreation, but for us it’s more intense. Two people coming together and giving themselves to each other generates energy that can take hurts away. Not serious ones, but achy muscles and such, slight heaviness of heart, those it can help with.” Bucky kisses him again, gently holding him down at shoulders. “Just lie down, I’ll make you feel good.”

***

Steve finds the garden by accident, after taking yet again a new turn in the labyrinth of corridors. It’s a large cavern where the roof has partially collapsed ages ago, and sun is able to reach the bottom. 

Steve is fixed in place as soon as he walks in, having to shield his eyes at first, because it’s been weeks already since Bucky took him in. Weeks since he last saw the sun. Steve stands completely still in the golden light, eyes closed, face turned up to receive the warmth. He’s missed this, missed the sun, he now realizes.

There are trees and flowers all around, and a little stream trickling through. Steve follows it down to the other side of the cavern where it disappears under rock again, and finds a new passage. Only he can’t step through, his heart feels like it’s being squeezed, and he knows this is one of the borders of Bucky’s realm, a barrier he cannot cross.

Steve returns back into the garden, and makes a slow loop around it. There are paths and stone work among flower beds, but it’s not very meticulously cultivated, at least by human standards. It all seems to grow wild, and Steve likes it, likes how seamlessly the nature enfolds the stonework within.

From that day on Steve comes into the garden every day, sometimes just to visit for a bit and enjoy the sun, sometimes he brings a book and reads reclining on the soft ground, sometimes he brings his sketchbook or paints. On rainy days he stays near the edges where he’s sheltered, and looks at the water trickling down from above, creating several little waterfalls.

He always comes, and soon enough he doesn’t need the lights helping him find his way.

***

Now that Steve knows to expect them, he keeps a closer eye to the changes in his body and health. It’s all gradual enough, hard to tell day by day, yet when he really considers it, the change is astonishingly swift.

He’s taller already, easiest to tell when comparing his height to Bucky’s. There were also a few days when his legs were different lengths, just a bit, enough for Steve to notice especially now that his spine is straight. When that problem disappeared, he tried running down a long corridor, and he just kept going, minute after minute, and when he finally stopped he couldn’t help laughing, his lungs still not begging for mercy.

There are days when he feels perfectly, blessedly normal, others when it feels like his body is trying to fly away from under him, reaching for some goal Steve himself can’t see yet, trying to fill a mold that doesn’t quite fit now but will, in time. There are days when there are aches and itches, ever uncomfortable, but it’s all worth it, because every day he’s better. He sees farther, he can hear clearer, he keeps gaining muscle mass and fractions of inches.

One day, when Bucky’s carrying him in his arms again after sex instead of just magicking them to his room, Steve asks what will happen if he grows so heavy Bucky won’t be able to lift him. Bucky just laughs and tells him he can carry a horse if needed, Steve will never be too much of a burden.

The aches come and go, but they’re not the only thing like that, there’s occasional oversensitivity too. It’s usually gone the next day, takes two days at the most, and Steve can deal. There’s a day when he can’t go to the garden, his eyes hurting in the sunlight. There’s a day when the backs of his knees are ticklish, so much so that he’s having hard time sitting down, and in the evening Bucky is all too delighted about the possibilities. There’s a day when it feels like he can hear everything, from the blood flow in his veins to the smallest flutter of a leaf on a calm day. Most days are normal enough, though.

One morning Steve wakes up and the day’s predicament is, he admits it even to himself, fairly hilarious, if uncomfortable. And probably embarrassing, when Bucky finds out. Turns out his nipples are, for whatever reason, incredibly sensitive suddenly, so much so that wearing a shirt is all too uncomfortable. He ends up spending the day in his room shirtless, lying on his back trying to avoid any kind of pressure.

Of course, turns out his dinner outfit that day contains a waistcoat, perfectly tailored as always, made of heavy brocade, and despite his shirt being smoother than smooth, it’s still almost unbearable when he moves.

Unsurprisingly he’s flushed and half hard after the walk to dining room where Bucky is waiting for him as usual.

As soon as Bucky sees him, his eyebrows shoot up, worried. “Steve, are you alright?”

With swift steps Bucky is in front of him, hands framing Steve’s face, the metal blessedly cool on his flaming skin.

“I’m okay, really. Nothing to worry about.”

“Are you sure? You look uncomfortable.” Bucky leans back to look at him, and only then realization hits him, and a tiny grin appears. “Or you’re on the way to feeling rather too good.”

Steve confesses then, blushing even more furiously, and he doesn’t even know why, considering there’s really nothing of him Bucky hasn’t seen by now. Bucky laughs, clearly amused by his predicament, but he quiets soon enough, and the speculative look in his eyes tells Steve this dinner is not going to proceed as usual.

Bucky slowly brushes his thumb over one of Steve’s nipples, the pressure just this side on rough, and Steve lets out a strangled moan as blood rushes down. He leans his face against Bucky’s neck, pressing haphazard open kisses on it as Bucky keeps rubbing slow circles, altering pressure. It doesn’t take long at all before Steve is fully hard.

“Come on,” Bucky finally says. “I’m hungry.”

Instead of his normal seat, Steve ends up sitting between Bucky’s legs, leaning against his chest, head mostly resting against his shoulder, because it takes no time at all for him to be undone. Bucky feeds them both, bites of fruit, and savory and sweet morsels of whatever it is on the menu, Steve really wouldn’t know other than it’s all delicious as always. In between bites Bucky teases Steve’s nipples, pinching and plucking at them through the fabric, sometimes ghosting over them with just the barest pressure.

By the end of the meal Steve has come twice without Bucky ever going near his cock, and there are probably bruises on Bucky’s thighs just above his knees where he told Steve to hold on to. He’s loose and floating, his chest heaving, and still he wants more. He can feel Bucky’s cock pressing hard against his back, and all he can think of now is having it inside him.

Bucky wraps his arms tight around Steve’s waist and nuzzles at his neck, sucking a mark on the skin. The room shifts, the now familiar dance of glamour all around them, and they’re back in Steve’s bedroom. Another blink and their clothes are gone and Bucky is pushing him onto his back on the bed. 

Entirely predictably Bucky goes for his nipples again, sucking one in his mouth, and the whole another kind of touch after sustained stimulation is almost too much, and Steve shouts. He grasps at Bucky, pulling him closer between his legs, and he knows he’s babbling;  _ need, _ and  _ Bucky, _ and  _ please. _

Bucky gets him, or maybe he’s just too close to the edge himself, because he uses magic to prep Steve, even when he usually likes to do it by hand, the process always enjoyable and maddening to both of them. Now the magical relaxation happens much faster with the gentle warmth between Steve’s legs, and there’s no resistance when Bucky pushes in.

He sets an even pace, long strokes, but hard as well, every one of them hitting Steve just right, sending shivers down his spine and curling his toes. Bucky still never stops touching his nipples, pinching or plucking at one with his metal hand, licking or sucking the other, and Steve is completely undone, there’s nothing he can do but to take it all, give everything he has to Bucky.

Bucky props himself up to look at him, one hand staying on his chest, tendrils of hair haloing him and sticking to his face. “Look at you, so far gone.” He ups the pace, steadiness faltering. “Come on, Steve.”

Steve does, ending up spent and heaving, oversensitive and yet satisfied. He wraps his arms around Bucky, enjoying his new inches, the way he now reaches better. Bucky lets himself be pulled closer but not all the way, hovering over him to look at his face, hand coming to rest on Steve’s cheek.

“You’re so beautiful.” There’s a definite thread of wonder in Bucky’s voice, and it confuses Steve, because surely out of the two of them Bucky is the beautiful one. “I’m so happy you’re here with me.”

Steve doesn’t know how to answer, there are no words yet that feel right, so he pulls Bucky down into a kiss. It could be an answer, of it could be a diversion. Even Steve doesn’t know right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention yet that I've had entirely too much fun writing this story?


	4. Chapter 4

Steve has taken to measuring himself every morning. He knows how tall he used to be, and he’s already grown more than half a foot. He feels better too day by day, enough that he thinks he’s already at least close to feeling like people normally do, the ones that don’t need to deal with illnesses. 

His days stay the same; the details are different but the structure is rigid, and as time passes, Steve finds himself wondering more and more what it’s all about. He’s certain now that Bucky wanted him for more than just convenience, and yet there’s a distance between them, the way they’re only together for dinner and after it, nothing more. Bucky always disappears while Steve is sleeping, and he’s never to be found during the day. Steve wants to break the distance but he doesn’t know how to do it, doesn’t know if he can ask for anything more.

He often wonders what Bucky does during the days, how he spends his time away from Steve. For all that they’ve talked a lot while dining, Steve has found it hard to extract from Bucky what he likes, how he makes the hours pass. There is a barrier in Bucky, one that it’ll obviously take a long time to whittle down.

It’s midday, and Steve is sitting in the garden, in a cozy nook where he likes to read, when he hears sounds from the passage leading out of Bucky’s realm. For a second he doesn’t know what to do, if he should run or try to alert Bucky, but then he realizes the magic would tell Bucky if it were someone unwelcome. 

Turns out it’s Bucky himself, and he’s not alone. With him is a woman, her red hair flaming even in the gloom, her beauty dangerous and ethereal at the same time. Bucky’s mentioned there are still a few others of his kind left living nearby, but this is the first time Steve has seen any of them.

They ride in on horses that clearly aren’t of any mortal breed, dappled with silver and so light on their feet they might as well be stepping on air. Both of them are dressed for riding, and there’s a leaf snagged in Bucky’s jacket. They must have gone out into the forest.

Steve isn’t sure whether they know he’s there, they well might even though he’s partially hidden by the bushes, but they don’t seem to pay any attention to him, so he stays where he is, watching them, book forgotten on his lap. They talk, voices hushed enough that Steve can’t make out the words, but Bucky smiles at her, bright and fond, and there’s a tug at Steve’s heartstrings.

It’s not jealousy, not exactly, mostly because Steve doesn’t let it be. If it were, he’d be all the more tangled in Bucky, and while he knows he can’t leave, he can still protect his heart if he’s careful. If he lets himself be jealous it’s a step over a line, and Steve can’t afford to take that step, not now when he doesn’t yet know what Bucky wants with him. He doesn’t yet know if there’s any way that Bucky belongs to him, or if it’s only he that is tied to Bucky.

Finally the woman makes her steed nimbly step next to Bucky’s, enough that she can pull him close and kiss him on the cheek. Bucky drops to the ground and directs his horse away, but she stays seated, clearly meaning to go back to wherever she came from.

Just when she’s disappearing into the passage she looks back, this time right at Steve, her eyes seeming to assess him in just the tiniest split second. She smiles too, and blows a kiss at him. It feels like he’s passed some test he didn’t know he was participating in.

Steve looks after her for as long as she’s even a bit visible before glancing back to Bucky, who hasn’t moved. He’s not looking at her though, he’s looking straight at Steve, who’s very conscious suddenly that they’ve broken onto a new ground.

This is different from their usual pattern, something Steve has wished for, but he has no idea how this is going to go. Bucky just stands there, unmoving, and it strikes him suddenly that Bucky might walk away instead of choosing to interact with him since it’s not their usual routine. He doesn’t know how he’d react to it. He’d more than likely be angry, for all that it would be futile, since Bucky could just disappear from him.

He doesn’t get to find out though, since Bucky finally comes to him. He strips out of his jacket and folds it into a pillow, stretching himself on the grass next to Steve, who suddenly wishes he’d brought his sketchbook.

“That was Natalia. She likes you.”

Steve purses his mouth. “She only saw me for a second.”

“That’s more than enough for her, she’s got the most accurate way of reading people I’ve ever seen.”

“Is she one of your friends living nearby?”

“Yes. I’ve known her for a long time, and she’s always been a good friend, more loyal than most of our kind tend to be unless bonded by magic. She helped me through some hard times.”

Bucky rubs at his left shoulder, the gesture probably unconscious, and again Steve wants to ask, but he knows it’s still not the time.

“I’m glad you’ve had someone like that in your life.”

Bucky asks him then about his friends, about who has been loyal to him, and Steve knows it’s a dodge, something to direct his attention away from Bucky, but he allows it. He hasn’t much talked about his former life up until now, they’ve both avoided the subject, but now that he does, it’s less painful than he expected. It’s good to remember his friends, even when there’s no way for him to go back to them.

Steve talks to Bucky about Sam, about his unwavering friendship and loyalty, the only one in the castle that wanted to be his friend for him and not for his status. He talks of Peggy and Tony and Thor, about how the four of them had all tried to learn how to be good rulers for their countries, shared the dreads and expectations.

Steve talks, Bucky summons them refreshments, and they move on to lighter topics; talk about all the different flowers that grow in the garden, and the day passes.

***

They stay in the garden the whole day, even have dinner there as a picnic. It’s a whole new thing for Steve, a lot more hours in Bucky’s company, not to mention it’s less formal altogether, since they just are as they met, Steve in his easy morning clothes, Bucky in his riding outfit. Still, it’s the same too, the conversations running easy as usual, and Steve doesn’t really know if it’s just what happens this particular day or if there’s a more permanent change to be expected.

What encourages Steve is he can see again the slight insecurity in Bucky, how he obviously wants Steve to enjoy himself. It’s been there since the beginning, not always visible, less and less so as they settled into their pattern of days, but Steve thinks Bucky isn’t at all as self-assured as he wants to portray himself as, that he too is finding his feet with Steve. The fact that Bucky truly has all the power in their relationship, and still takes the utmost care to not trample on Steve’s wishes reassures him, makes him all the more certain it’s more significant to Bucky than Steve expected when he first made the deal.

After dinner Steve decides nothing ventured, nothing gained, and instead of waiting for Bucky’s lead as he usually does, he goes closer, and pulls Bucky to lie down, stretching out next to him. He’s on Bucky’s left side, and Bucky extends his silver arm out for him to rest his head on. It’s surprisingly comfortable, Steve finds, and they lie there, looking up to the patch of the sky they can see through the opening of the cavern.

The darkness has already fallen, the days are much shorter already, even though in the garden the temperature has stayed constantly pleasant, new flowers budding all the time. Sometimes red and yellow leaves fall through the opening, telling Steve the fall is advancing. In the garden the leaves stay green. He suspects that as winter comes he’ll see snow fall but never touch the ground or the trees.

Bucky has waved all the lights off, and the stars are bright. Steve can even see the turn of the world, the lights at the edge of the opening blinking out of sight, new ones appearing from the other side.

“That’s the constellation of the Hunter,” Bucky says, and Steve recognizes the familiar shape. He’s fairly well versed with basics in astronomy, as well as a lot of other sciences, since he’s spent a lot of time reading, incapable of too much physical activity.

They end up talking about constellations, and they come to the conclusion the lore of the fairies is often responsible for the names humans use for them, but the stories are often forgotten. Bucky talks as he gazes upward, his voice soft as he tells Steve stories that may have been history a long time ago. The fairies have a long memory, but not long enough to be sure of the origin of the stories. As Bucky talks, Steve finds himself looking at Bucky more often than at the stars, mapping the contours of his face, how the shadows fall on him, how his eyes are bright even in the dim night.

Steve turns on his side and rests his hand on Bucky’s heart, feeling the steady beat. Bucky stops talking and turns to look at him, and he looks back, somehow feeling it’s a more honest moment than he’s allowed to happen before, and that Bucky can see more of him now. It lasts for several long seconds, Steve feeling like an exposed nerve suddenly. There really isn’t any particular reason for it, and yet he’s utterly raw under Bucky’s gaze.

It’s a relief when Bucky reaches and turns to pull him into a kiss.

There are so many ways to kiss a person; Steve tried to keep track of them in the early days with Bucky,  but gave up soon, because there is no possibility of differentiating and describing them all. This is yet another kind of a kiss, firm and steady as usual, and yet gentle and tender in a way Steve hasn’t experienced yet. It soothes his raw nerves, is like a balm over burned skin, and he sighs into it, pulls Bucky closer, slots their bodies together.

Sex that night is like the kiss, slow and tender, simple. They don’t leave the garden, instead lie on the soft grass and moss, move against each other, hands touching everywhere they can reach. They come together, their cocks in Bucky’s hand between them, Bucky a warm weight over Steve.

They’ve been kissing all the while, and don’t stop even after they’ve come. Steve’s lips are swollen and tingling, but he still wants more, just to keep kissing Bucky, and it seems like Bucky is content to give it to him.

In the end Steve even falls asleep between one kiss and the next. 

***

The next day starts as usual, with Steve waking up alone in his bed, and it’s the first time he really acknowledges it to himself that he’s disappointed. He’d though the day before changed things between him and Bucky, but now that the morning is almost too familiar he’s less sure of it. Still, he knows how careful Bucky has been with him, and maybe that’s part of what keeps him from staying, from pushing for this other kind of intimacy between them. After all they’ve never talked about it, about really sleeping in the same bed.

Steve doesn’t quite know whether he wants to ask, though, not sure if he’s ready for them to be around each other all the time. He’s even less sure if Bucky wants them to. He does know he wants more than their regular days so far have offered, wants less formality, wants to see Bucky outside of the ceremony. He got a taste of it yesterday, and now Steve dreads it was the only one there will be.

He goes back to the garden as is his habit, and this time takes his sketchbook. Entirely unsurprisingly the image that starts forming under his pencil is a profile of Bucky, contrasted with deep shadows, looking up to the stars, lips parted to tell a story.

Steve is surprised some half an hour later when he realizes he’s not alone, and sees Bucky carefully stepping around flowers and making his way toward him. Steve can’t help but break into a smile at it, his heart suddenly lighter.

Bucky motions at Steve to not get up, and greets him by taking his hand and pressing a kiss in the middle of his palm. It’s an entirely new gesture, tender and intimate, and Steve feels heat flushing up onto his cheeks. Bucky just smiles and settles down, opening the book he brought with him. He rests one hand on Steve’s knee and starts reading.

Steve continues his drawing for a while, refining the shading, but his concentration isn’t there at all, with Bucky’s touch burning him inside. Logically speaking, Bucky’s touch isn’t even warm since it’s his left hand, and yet it feels almost scorching.

Steve needs to direct his thoughts to a different direction, so he asks, “You weren’t too busy to hang out in the garden?”

Bucky looks up from his book, smile a bit sheepish. “I’m never really busy, the realm mostly takes care of itself, I only need to fix a bit of glamour at times. Mostly I’m just trying to find things to occupy my time.” He’s quiet for a moment before continuing. “I wasn’t sure you wanted my company during the days.”

It’s a direct admittance, confirming something Steve has suspected, really hoped for; that the apparent distance in Bucky is at least partly due to him being careful about Steve, not because he doesn’t want his company. There’s a flood of gratitude that envelops Steve, feeling like he’s being protected instead of imprisoned. A part of him still thinks he shouldn’t like this, shouldn’t give in to Bucky like this, but the draw toward Bucky is so strong Steve doesn’t want to avoid it. Especially since he’s all the way sure now it’s just him that wants it, not the influence of the glamour binding him to Bucky.

“I always like your company,” he says, and lays his hand over Bucky’s on his knee.

Bucky smiles at him, bright and open, and they shift, settle closer to each other. Steve ends up showing Bucky his work, not feeling self-conscious about the sketches depicting him, and Bucky seems delighted about it, so it’s all well. In the end Steve settles with his back resting against Bucky’s chest, drawing some flower studies, and Bucky reads aloud from his book, voice low near Steve’s ear, words rumbling through their bodies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know Steve, I think you've accidentally developed some feelings there...


	5. Chapter 5

They start spending time together regularly during the days as well, and it helps with their cohabitation to become less formal. It’s not entirely casual, there are still dinners in the big hall with them all dressed up, just not every day. Steve likes it both ways, likes the big table laden with all kinds of delicacies, as well as the two of them sitting in front of the fireplace in his sitting room, roasting apples on sticks.

There’s also a new degree of intimacy, Bucky kissing him for a greeting, touching each other while they’re reading or sketching. It’s physical contact that’s not intended to lead to sex, worthy just for itself, and it more than anything else convinces Steve that Bucky really does care for him specifically. He’s not just a warm body, it’s not a game to ensnare a victim in dire straits in Bucky nets. It means something more.

He just can’t figure out what exactly it is all about, why Bucky wants him, why does Bucky care about him. He remembers Bucky saying that years ago he tried to get Steve to come with him to protect him from poisoners, and it would indicate Bucky already back then was conscious of him somehow. Steve just doesn’t know how it would be possible, and he’s not feeling confident enough to ask. For all that Bucky does care for him, Steve can’t push away the concerns he has, the sensible part of his brain that keeps reminding him that technically he’s still a captive under Bucky’s power. He doesn’t want to rock the boat of their existence, since everything is going well.

He wants to know though, and he thinks the most secure way to get to it will be to just get to know Bucky better in person, since he seems very willing on talking about the history of his people, and recently also about himself. Maybe with trust he’ll open up in time.

***

One of the habits they develop is sparring, sometimes hand to hand, sometimes with swords and other weapons. Steve has had some training, but due to his illness it never was that extensive, and he’s eager to explore the possibilities of his newfound health and strength.

Bucky is perfectly capable, and furthermore obviously delighted in sharing his skills with him. As they get up to speed, Steve is actually surprised by how easy it is. Back before it was always a chore, even when he liked it. It’s only now that he really starts to realize how much he was hindered by all his ailments, the contrast to now that he isn’t is immense.

One morning instead of sparring Bucky gives him boots and a riding jacket, and leads him to the garden. There are two horses waiting, same silvery grey ones Steve saw before, saddled and ready to go. There are also cloaks and gloves, and he remembers again it must have gotten gold outside. In Bucky’s realm, even in the garden the temperature stays fairly constant, and it’s hard to remember the passing of seasons, especially since he can’t see much of outside.

Steve is proficient in riding, had to become so especially since he couldn’t walk too far, but it’s almost too easy. He suspects he’s going to stay in saddle exactly as long as the horse allows him, it has nothing to do with his skills. In general he’s rather excited to get outside again, and he grins at Bucky who smiles happily at him as they head toward the passage.

It’s as they pass the barrier between Bucky’s realm and the tunnel, and Steve feels it but isn’t bothered by it, that it occurs to him to wonder about the glamour binding him to Bucky.

“How does this work, now that I’m outside? Is there some distance that I can’t stray from you?”

“No, it’s more about the intention, as long as you don’t try to leave me, you can go wherever.”

Bucky frowns, glancing at him with a bit unsure eyes, as if gauging his reaction to remembering their bond. Steve reaches and lightly squeezes his wrist. It’s not at all a simple issue for him, but for now he just wants to go and spend a day outside. He can worry about his general situation later.

They pass through the tunnel swiftly, and emerge into a crisp fall day. There’s no snow yet, but a lot of the leaves have fallen, dappling the ground with yellows and browns, some of them still hanging in the trees. The evergreens offer a contrast, their greens deep and rich. The sky is clear and blue, sun coming up but not really warming the air.

Steve draws in a deep breath, and smiles at Bucky again. They set out at a steady trot, and he enjoys being outside again, the big sky above him.

***

It’s at one of their more formal dinners when it hits Steve how much he’s changed due to the blue serum. He comes to greet Bucky, who’s waiting for him as is their habit, and realizes they’re the same height. Bucky’s still broader, Steve knows he currently looks like young men in their early adulthood tend to do, having grown tall but the rest of him still needing to catch up. He wonders how much the serum will still do for him, because all the obvious symptoms of his illness have disappeared, the change now seems just to be in his physical stature. He’s not sure if he really needs the serum any more, but there is still a goblet next to his bed every morning.

“You said Erskine created the serum because HYDRA forced him,” Steve says that night, wanting to have more information and feeling much bolder these days than when they first talked about it with Bucky. “How is it that you have it?”

A shadow crosses over Bucky’s eyes, and Steve almost regrets asking, he can see it’s not a happy memory, but he believes he deserves to know.

“He was HYDRA’s prisoner. And so was I, back when their kingdom was at its strongest. They captured those of my kind if they could, and I was too reckless one day, got caught in their nets.”

Bucky pauses and draws his metal hand into a fist.

“You don’t have to tell me about that if you don’t want to, I can see it hurts,” Steve says, trying to figure a way to steer the conversation from Bucky’s experiences back to the serum.

Bucky gives him a small lopsided smile. “It does, but I think it’s time, I want you to know about me, even the difficult things. They wanted us for many things, for our skills, like with Erskine, but I was very young, and not particularly talented in inventing new magic. So they used me in other ways, experimenting on my body and mind.”

“They took your arm,” Steve guesses.

“Yes, and crafted another on with magic. They wanted to see if it would work, to get more out of their warriors that had been injured, and since our kind are more connected to magic, they could try to refine the process on us first. This is not the arm they gave me, I’ve replaced as much of it as I can, but it’s impossible to completely remove what they did to me.”

Steve feels sick at the idea of Bucky suffering in the hands of HYDRA, being put through such things. He can guess why they captured fairies for such purposes, he knows the attitudes even now, how they are considered something lesser than humans. He remembers reading that HYDRA had a weird code of conduct, and that they ultimately wanted peace, only it was to be under their rule. Their propaganda was that they wanted the best for all humans, and one of the pointers even was protection against the people of the Forest. That sort of thinking had even gained them followers, Steve remembers from his studies.

Now that he’s gotten to know Bucky better, he knows they’re not that different, for all that Bucky is a being of magic and he is made of flesh and blood, for all that their cultures are different. Much about them is still the same, and neither one of them is less of a person than the other.

“Anyway, Erskine helped me escape, during the chaos of the war. By then he was dying, they’d worked him so hard, and I was nearly mindless. He gave me a bit of the serum, it restored my memories and my will, and he also gave the rest of it for me. I thought then it might have been better to be destroyed, but he always could see farther than even most of my kind. He told me a day would come when I’d find a use for it.”

“Guess I’m better due to it,” Steve says, feeling suddenly a cold pit in his stomach.

Bucky’s next to him faster than Steve even comprehends, kneeling by his chair, taking his face in hands.

“No, not better.” The certainty in Bucky’s voice is like steel. “I told you earlier, the serum can’t make you anything different, the core of you determines the result. It can make you healthier and stronger, but the most important thing, the heart of yours stays the same. And you were always enough, there’s nothing that could make you more worthy as a person. This will just make things easier for you, and you deserve that.”

Steve melts, leans forward so his forehead rests on Bucky’s, and enjoys the touch, the certainty in Bucky’s words. He believes it now, and the insecurity he’s felt drifts away. Bucky cradles his head in his hands, rubs gentle circles with his fingers, and Steve feels the magic around him, inside him.

“What are you doing?”

“Just checking. The remains of the poison, the buildup inside your body is almost gone. I think you’ll only need ten more days of the serum, to make sure there isn’t anything left.” 

They stay curved toward each other for a moment more, up until Steve feels sorry for Bucky’s knees and pulls him up into the large chair with him. Despite his best efforts Steve still ends up on Bucky’s lap instead of the other way around, Bucky smirking at him completely self-satisfied, and the rest of the meal is spent happily feeding each other and kissing in between bites.

***

Steve’s been with Bucky for a few months before he notices his interest in music, but when he does, he can’t figure out how it took him so long. It starts in the garden, with Bucky stopping and tilting his head to listen to a blackbird singing in the tangerine tree. He closes his eyes and stands utterly still, immersed in the music, and Steve is completely arrested by it, his hands itching for his sketchbook he left in his room.

After that, Steve notices Bucky listening to birds fairly often. There’s more of them now in the garden, ever since it got cold outside many of them have sought shelter in the perpetually warm cavern. Now that Steve pays attention, he notices Bucky occasionally pauses reading his book or tinkering on the magical contraptions made of metal and jewels that he often works with, only to look up and listen.

Bucky hums under his breath too, usually when he works with his hands, deep in concentration. The melodies are unfamiliar to Steve, beautiful and alien, and he thinks even though their vocal range in general is close to each other, there’s something he wouldn’t be able to replicate, no human being could. He’s lulled into sleep on more than one afternoon, his head resting on Bucky’s thigh, listening to the fairy songs.

He thinks it is odd, yes, that he never noticed, but it’s possible there wasn’t anything to notice before. It’s clear that Bucky hums or allows himself to pause and listen to the bids or anything related when he’s feeling comfortable in himself, not having to keep things together. Steve also knows Bucky did hold a fairly tight control on himself in the early days after he was taken in. There was the regular daily structure, every day very much predictable the way they now aren’t. These days they just live, act on whim and do whatever they want, and it all comes from them allowing it to themselves, being comfortable enough to do so.

In Bucky’s case his insatiable love of music comes out.

A logical continuation to it is dancing. After one of their dinners Bucky pulls Steve through the corridors into a ballroom, one he has seen before but never like this. There are thousands of lights all around, twinkling in the dark stone veined with blue. It’s almost as if they’re walking in the star dotted night sky.

There’s music too, instruments on one side of the room, playing by themselves. The tune is unfamiliar, or so Steve thinks for the first few moments, until he realizes he knows it after all, from Bucky’s humming. He follows Bucky into the middle of the room, and gets pulled close, Bucky’s arm steady at his waist.

Steve knows how to dance, it was one of the skills he was required to learn as a prince. He never much enjoyed it, though. It was sometimes fun with Peggy, but she wasn’t there much of the time, as she too needed to learn the skills essential for a ruler of her country, and mostly Steve was left to dance with the nobility of his own country that he for most part found boring.

He obviously has no idea how to dance anything like the fairies do, the rhythm of the music is very different from the dances he knows, but as Bucky nudges them into movement, he realizes it doesn’t matter. It’s part glamour, part Bucky’s leading skills, but he finds himself stepping along, moving to the music comfortable as anything, and soon enough he lets go of the apprehension and just follows along.

Bucky doesn’t look around, just keeps his gaze on Steve’s eyes, and Steve looks back, the lights blurring at the edges of his vision. It’s intimate, it’s perfect, and as they pause it’s the most natural thing in the word to lean in and to kiss Bucky, to let their bodies melt together.

Steve isn’t quite sure, but it might be the first time he’s initiated a kiss, and it’s yet another string that ties him to Bucky.

***

They’re out in the Forest, riding at a leisurely pace when Steve sees they’re close enough to the edge he can see out through the trees. It’s funny, even in winter when there’s less foliage it’s almost impossible to see into the Forest from the outside, but apparently it’s different looking out.

He recognizes the view, he realizes, letting his horse come to a stop. There’s the little hillock and a clump of trees that’s a little ways from the castle, suitable for a day trip. He used to come with Sam most often, or sometimes with Peggy or Tony or Thor, if they were visiting and he was up for a ride. It always wasn’t the case when he was old enough to be able to make the trip, as his illness got gradually worse as he grew up. Now of course he knows it was because they were steadily giving him more and more of the poison.

Most of the time he tries not to think back to his kingdom. It is still his, even when he’s no longer there. The protective magic is still tied to him, and it’ll always connect him to his former home. He can’t go back though, not even now that he’s stronger and maybe would have a better chance to stand for his rights. He can’t go, because he made a promise to Bucky, and this is his world now.

He still worries, sometimes. Wonders how the people are doing, wonders if the diplomatic relations are strained among the four kingdoms, the way they probably wouldn’t be if he was the one dealing with his friends ruling the other countries.

He wonders how many people miss him, if the number would be discouragingly small to find out.

As that though hits him, he’s immediately ashamed, because even though he knows not many people would have been his friends if he hadn’t been a prince, there were those who were true, those who cared about him and not his status, and they’re worth more than masses.

He sits there in his saddle forgotten in his thoughts until Bucky doubles back and reaches to lay a hand on his arm.

“Come on, Steve. Let’s go back, it’s getting cold.” His voice is gentle, eyes knowing.

Steve shakes himself out of it, and turns his horse to follow Bucky’s. He doesn’t look back, and he knows they won’t talk about what he he was thinking just now. He tries to convince himself he’s accepted that he’s not going back, that the human realms belong to his past now.

Bucky’s right, it is getting colder. The sun that was out in the morning has been covered with a grey mass of clouds heavy with snow, and Steve thinks this might be their last riding trip for now, if there’s a lot of snow at once, as the clouds seem to be promising.

When they reach the entrance to Bucky’s realm the first snowflakes are falling, and as they ride into the garden Steve sees them falling through the opening in the ceiling but never reaching the ground.

Back inside they go straight to the baths next to Steve’s room and immerse themselves in the water. Steve lets Bucky pull him in to sit between his legs, and he leans his head on Bucky shoulder and relaxes while Bucky kneads his muscles, relieving tension. They’re quiet, and while it’s not uncomfortable, the silence is still loaded. The heaviness of Steve’s memories of his country is all around them, threatening to drive a wedge between them. Steve doesn’t want that, it’s the last thing he wants, even when it’s often not easy for him, and he wants to dispel the gloom.

He takes a hold of Bucky’s hands and brings them over his heart.

“I never told you, I think, that I like to be here, with you. It’s nothing I ever expected, but it’s good, because you’re here. I want to be with you.”

Bucky’s hands close around his, pull him tighter against his chest. There’s a kiss at the side of his neck and Steve relaxes, lets Bucky hold him. It’s easier, the words dancing in the air between them, and his heart is lighter. He hopes Bucky’s is too.

***

That night they’re in Steve’s bed, relaxing post-coital, Bucky’s arm heavy across his waist, warm breath tickling the skin at the crook of his neck. Steve is perfectly satisfied, drifting into sleep happy with Bucky there next to him, and it’s a happiness he wants to keep.

“Stay,” he mumbles, or he thinks he does anyway, right when he’s at the edge of the sleep, because there’s nothing but dreams afterward, no answer.

Maybe he said it, maybe he just dreamed he did, but the reality is he wakes up alone, the same as every morning.


	6. Chapter 6

Steve wakes up one morning and there’s no goblet of blue draught waiting for him. He lies in the bed staring at the ceiling, just taking it in. Sometimes he still can’t quite believe that there was such a plot weaved around them, lasting for decades, to poison him with the purpose of making him sick, to take over their kingdom. But clearly it happened, clearly Pierce and whoever worked with him were patient enough that they saw they’d get a more certain result with a long term, gradual plan than going for immediate coup. It almost worked too; it did work, in fact, if only for the hitch that Steve has taken the power of the shield with him.

He often wonders what kind of stories they tell about his disappearance, if they’re painting him in bad light or good. The latter might help endear them to the people, to pretend they’re mourning his loss.

Now a part of their plan has been overturned, the poison flushed out of Steve’s body. He’s just a hair taller than Bucky now, albeit still slimmer, still gaining strength from training with weapons and riding. There are no aches and pains, he sees and hears well, and his previously so traitorous heart is beating steadily, never protesting exercise. He has all this new strength and skills, but not that much purpose to use them for, and it would be a lie to say it didn’t frustrate him sometimes.

He thinks his heart might still be called traitorous, since it keeps pulling him toward Bucky, keeps ensnaring him closer and closer to him each passing day. There is a part of him that still wants to rebel, a part that doesn’t want to care about Bucky the way he undeniably does, because there’s still the glamour, the choice made under duress that keeps him here and makes all other choices meaningless.

Yet Steve does care for Bucky, freely and for himself, not because of the bond that ties them together. He never meant for it to happen, thinks he might have even said no to all of this if he’d had an inkling of what was ahead of him, because it’s a bit terrifying to feel close to one’s captor, to feel like he shouldn’t think of Bucky like that, for all that he is.

These days Steve thinks that even if he were not compelled to stay, he still might choose to do so, and there is a very distinct part of him that wants to run away all the harder because of it.

It’s a part that’s fading, shrinking each day.

***

They’re in the garden again, and it must be a cold day outside, because even within the magic controlled space they feel it. The more summery flowers have all stayed closed that day, and Bucky summoned them a mountain of pillows and blankets to lie on, because the ground is just a bit uncomfortable. Steve is lying with his head on Bucky’s lap for now, tired of drawing, content to just enjoy the closeness.

Bucky ends up telling him about the fairies, how there used to be a lot more of them close to the borders of the human realms than there are now. He says it’s because the amount of magic fluctuates, and that there’s currently less of it in general. He doesn’t know why, no one does, but they know it is true. Hence, since fairies are beings of magic, there are less of them around. It’s also the reason that humans currently aren’t nearly as proficient with magic as they used to be. They can still use some of the skills and objects they have if the repetition has reinforced the magic, but coming up with something new isn’t possible now.

HYDRA had looked at the history and wanted to regain the power from back when the magic flowed more freely, and hence they’d captured and imprisoned fairies, trying to get them to work for them. That too had caused a lot of their kind to retreat farther into the Forest, toward the lands unknown to humans. 

When under HYDRA’s power, most of them had resisted and fought, but there had been some who’d worked willingly for them. Bucky spits out the name Zola, grimacing at whatever memory it brings. Apparently he’d thought he wasn’t sufficiently appreciated among his own kind, so he’d gone over and created magic for HYDRA, even the first version of Bucky’s arm.

“Not that he got what he wanted. He was useful to them but never really respected enough to gain much power. He never tried to return to the Forest, so he must have died. A lot of us did, like Erskine. Only a few of those captured survived.”

“So there are more of you who made it through? Are they still around?” Steve asks

“Natalia is one of them, actually.” Bucky smiles at Steve’s surprise. “Then there are the twins. Besides them, there’s also Clint living nearby, usually not that far from Natalia. He wasn’t HYDRA’s prisoner, he just stayed and fought them. Helped Nat and the twins get away.”

“Why have you all stayed here? It would feel logical for you to go far away from where you were hurt.”

“Maybe. There were some who did leave, but I guess it just felt right for us to stay. We all live on the borders, keeping an eye on what’s going on.”

“You want to make sure it’ll never happen again,” Steve suddenly understands.

“Yes. No one should have to go through what happened to us back then, neither fairies nor humankind.”

Steve reaches to take Bucky’s hand in his, feeling a new kind of respect for him and the rest of them. They went through a great trauma, but won’t hide from it; instead they stand guarding the world against it. “Do you think something like it will happen again?”

“I think there will always be power hungry people around, those willing to do anything to gain it.” Bucky ruffles his hair a bit pointedly, and maybe it was a stupid question from Steve, especially considering his own experiences. “The Forest is telling me something is happening outside our borders, something sinister. We don’t know yet what it is, but we are on a lookout.”

Bucky drops it then, and Steve sees it’s something that makes him uncomfortable, so he doesn’t ask, just swears to himself that if Bucky has to fight this, he’ll be there as well, for all that he wouldn’t be able to do much against magic.

Bucky ends up telling him about the connection between the lords and ladies that rule a fairy realm and the parts of the Forest growing within, how they can find out things from a long distance away without having to rely on magic. It means letting the Forest have its way, not felling trees or clearing out the undergrowth, and in return it allows them pass through and be aware of everything the Forest knows.

It’s a fascinating thing, and Steve almost laughs at himself, because now he just believes these kinds of things that he never would have only the previous summer, even having extensively read of the history of magic in the human realms. His world these days is much wider than it used to be.

***

After the first snow storms pass the weather clears. The sky peeking through the holes in the ceiling of the garden cavern is clear blue, pale and hazy. They go out to ride again, wrapped in warm cloaks and a layer of glamour. There are only the paths of small forest animals in the part of the Forest that’s near the entrance to Bucky’s mound, and on a normal horse it would be almost impossible to make it anywhere, the going would be slow and arduous. Instead, as Steve had already noticed before, Bucky’s horses are light on their feet, barely leaving an imprint on the snow, and riding is pleasant. They take a long loop around, talking and pointing out sights to each other.

Steve can’t help but notice they stay far away from the borders of the Forest and his kingdom.

A few days later after dinner Bucky takes him through a corridor Steve has never seen before. Soon it starts winding up, sometimes on a slope, other times as stairs. Finally they emerge to a yet another door to outside, right at the top of a hill.

The night is clear and cold, the Forest stretching dark all around them. Steve can see lights in the distance, no doubt coming from his kingdom, but they’re miles away. He’s never really been outside in the middle of the night during the winter like this, he was always so sick that it would have been too big a risk, and so if he ever was out it was near the castle.

Hence the sky surprises him. Away from the lights, there are many more stars than he’s ever seen, dotting the sky much more numerous than the little lights in Bucky’s caverns. There is a brighter stretch toward the horizon, like a river crossing the sky. Bucky tells him it’s because there are a lot more stars visible in that part of the sky.

It’s beautiful, breathtaking, and they stay for a long while, standing hand in hand while Bucky tells him a few more stories the fairies have of the stars.

***

They’re at the room they mostly use for sparring, it’s large enough to allow for maneuverability, and the floor is packed earth instead of stone, shielding them from getting too bruised when they fall. Steve has his rapier in one hand, his parrying dagger in other, and Bucky stands a couple of paces away from him, similarly armed. They’re both outfitted in padded leather armor to prevent injury, and already flushed from exercise.

Steve got the rudiments of sword training back at home, but he never was well for long enough periods of time to really hone his skills, and he’s still adjusting to working with two hands. Bucky says that his trainer should have gotten him up to speed with it right from the beginning, which is probably true. In retrospect, Steve thinks the man probably wasn’t too keen on providing him with tools to protect himself, considering he too had been appointed by Pierce. Bucky has been filling the holes in his training, and it’s been enjoyable, even more so these days when they’re no longer so unevenly matched.

Bucky moves again, and Steve deflects his sword with his dagger, moving to attack himself. Another thing he enjoys about these moments is just watching how well Bucky moves, grace and power melded together, pushing Steve to strive for better all the time. They fight for a few minutes, not relenting even when they’re breathing hard, until finally Bucky gets inside the useful range of Steve’s sword. Their daggers clang together in between them as they come to a stop.

In a real fight this would be a time for either a brutal scuffle or trying to extract oneself without getting stabbed, but they’re not fighting, and Bucky is beautiful, eyes shining and cheeks flushed, lower lip bitten red with concentration. It’s inevitable really that Steve kisses him.

The kiss is swift and hard, just a press of lips, because Steve is suddenly burning with need, and so he drops down on his knees and unties Bucky’s pants. It’s all moving fast, but Bucky’s right on the same page; his cock stiffening already when Steve pulls it out and gives it a few tugs to bring it to full hardness. 

Bucky fists a hand in his hair as Steve licks up the underside of his cock, the grasp just tight enough to be felt but not really pulling; for all that Steve likes to be manhandled actual pain isn’t something he enjoys. There’s been too much of it in his life already. Luckily, Bucky is perfect at staying just on the right side of the line where he’s comfortable, enhancing the pleasure rather than distracting from it.

Steve runs his tongue around Bucky’s cockhead, teasing the slit with the point before sucking it in. Bucky lets out a groan, his hips twitching and hand spasming. Steve is vaguely aware of how tight his pants have become, but it’s all secondary, for now he wants to do this for Bucky. He steadies one hand on Bucky’s hip and leans forward, pulling Bucky in as far as he can. Not quite all the way, Bucky’s so large he hasn’t managed it yet, but he fists the base of the cock and pulls with his hand at the time of his mouth bobbing in and out.

Bucky’s loud now, moans and half words in the air between them, and Steve can’t even really feel the ground under his knees, all his focus is on the heaviness of Bucky in his mouth, the hand in his hair, the other one caressing his cheek. He doesn’t bother going slow, doesn’t bother trying to make it last. Instead he sucks harder, seeking Bucky’s climax.

When Bucky comes it takes Steve by surprise. Not that it happens, by now he knows Bucky’s tells well enough to expect it, but the head rush he gets when Bucky empties into his mouth is new, the magic dissolving into his body is more potent than usual, setting him alight, surprising him into his own orgasm. He’s limp and swaying, and Bucky holds him up even as he too falls on his knees. Steve is dazed enough that he barely sees Bucky, but the smile looks happy, delighted really as if Bucky has just found something new and inspiring.

Steve leans on Bucky, still tingling all over while trying to get his brain online enough to figure out why it now hit him so hard, it’s not like it was the first time he went down on Bucky. It was a first time for something else though, and he thinks it must be the key to this. It was the first time he was the one to initiate, for all that he’s always enjoyed and grown to crave sex with Bucky, he’s always let Bucky take the lead, up until now. Now it was him, and there wasn’t the slow folding of glamour around him as always happens when Bucky initiates. Maybe it hit him so much harder to take the magical rush of Bucky’s orgasm since there wasn’t the slow adjusting period.

He isn’t left to ponder it for much longer, because Bucky gathers him in his arms and the room shifts into Steve’s bedroom, and another rush of magic sees that they’re both naked, skin hot against skin. Bucky pushes him on the bed, gently guides him onto his hands and knees, and Steve leans down on his elbows, rests his forehead on his arms, almost overstimulated already even when Bucky has barely touched him.

Bucky runs hands down his sides, the contrast of hot and cool that Steve has come to love, and he arches his back into the contact, craving more. Bucky kneels behind him and folds his body over Steve’s, kissing him between the shoulder blades and sucking a mark over his spine. Steve wants to tell him to move along, especially since Bucky’s hard again already, his cock dragging in between Steve’s thighs, but he can’t speak, can’t do anything but stay where Bucky’s put him and take what he’s being given.

With one more kiss at the small of his back Bucky seems to get a hint, because the next thing Steve knows there are slick fingers probing at his hole, and he’s so relaxed already that the first goes in with no resistance whatsoever, and so Bucky pushes the second one in as well, deep straight away, curling them just right to light Steve up even more.

By the time Bucky’s done Steve’s thighs are shaking, and he’s fairly sure he’s staying up only because of the tight grasp of Bucky’s metal hand on his hip. He’s right on the verge of it being too much and wanting more, but when Bucky pulls his fingers out he knows exactly what he needs.

“Please,” Steve manages to say, breathy and probably more than a little garbled.

Bucky understands though, as he always does, and there are two hands on his hips, Bucky’s grasp steadying him as he slowly pushes in all the way. By now Bucky knows exactly how much Steve can take, which is a lot, even in the sensitive state he is now, and he gets to fucking him hard and steady, relentless, grip tight enough to to leave bruises on Steve’s hips.

Steve surrenders to it, gives the barest effort to stay on his knees, more due to positioning than holding himself, enough that with Bucky’s hold on him they’re steady enough, and just feels the slide and punch inside him. Every time Bucky fucks into him he jolts with pleasure, and he knows he’s keening and breathing hard, far beyond words.

“Touch yourself,” Bucky tells him, the pace of his hips ticking up, thrusts even more forceful now as he’s nearing his second climax, and Steve fumbles to prop himself up enough to free one hand to grasp his cock. He’s painfully hard again, the touch almost too much but he pushes through it, seeks the pleasure that comes with only a few tucks.

He’d collapse now if not for Bucky’s hold of him, all coordination of his limbs lost as he clenches around Bucky’s cock, now truly oversensitive. Bucky fucks in a few more time before he too releases, the flow of magic now familiar, no longer the surprising head rush, and they tumble into the bed in a tangle of limbs. Bucky cleans them up with a bit of magic, and pulls the covers over them before tucking Steve into his side.

Steve is nearly drifting, sleep already demanding him, but this time he knows he manages to say, “Stay.”

***

Steve wakes up, warm and relaxed, residual aches of the sex already fading. He’s lying on his back and Bucky’s arm is slung across his waist, one leg over his thigh. He’s deep in sleep, breath puffing against Steve’s neck.

Steve shifts a bit, finds a more comfortable position for the arm trapped under Bucky who grumbles at being jostled but doesn’t wake up. He lets his eyes close again, reaching for sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that, Bucky managed to get over his uncertainty on that front.
> 
> Also, I researched rapier fighting, found out about parrying daggers, and was immediately disappointed that Hollywood hasn't given us two-handed fighting. Think about how much cooler the three musketeers would have been.


	7. Chapter 7

Steve wakes up hungry and overheated but happier than he remembers being in a long time. He’s hungry because they never ended up getting a dinner the night before. He’s overheated because Bucky is still in the bed next to him, plastered against his back. Bucky’s rubbing slow circles on his stomach with his palm, clearly awake even when he hasn’t made a move to leave.

Steve wriggles onto his back and Bucky props himself up, leaning his head on his hand, and Steve smiles at him, can’t not when Bucky’s eyes crinkle at the corners, when he too is so obviously happy. It’s a momentous change for them, Steve knows it well enough, and maybe it even was inevitable, at least from that day onward when they first spent time together in the garden. Maybe even from earlier, even when Steve couldn’t see it. He could try and anticipate forward from here as well, but there’s always uncertainty when it comes to predicting the future. On one hand their progress points to some conclusions, points to growing closeness, but there’s also the fact there’s still the glamour that ties Steve here, and it means his choices matter less than they would if he were truly free.

He pushes the thought away from his head. This is a special morning, he is happy, and he intends to enjoy it. 

He pulls Bucky down to him into a kiss, and he comes easily enough, only right that moment Steve’s stomach growls, and Bucky breaks into giggles. Steve shoves him to the side, still smiling. He’s starving really, since the last time he ate was the lunch the day before, but it’s well worth it. Bucky props himself up to sit against the mountain of pillows that appears in the bed, and pulls Steve up too. The breakfast tray that comes from wherever Bucky’s food does is laden with hot tea, warm bread, eggs, and several different kinds of fruit artfully cut into pieces. They eat, shoulders bumping, laughter easy. Steve has had many breakfasts in bed due to his various illnesses, but never one he enjoyed as much.

After breakfast Bucky pushes him down on his back again and sets to kissing him within an inch of his life, and Steve arches up to him, trying to touch as much of Bucky’s skin as possible. It’s almost second nature by now to let his knees fall open and have Bucky slide between them. There’s a bit of morning laziness going on, since Bucky doesn’t bother with his hands and instead uses magic to gently prep him. He keeps kissing Steve all the way though, so he doesn’t mind at all, and they’re in the middle of yet another kiss when Bucky slides in.

Bucky moves slowly all throughout, steady slide of his cock familiar and maddening, and he kisses Steve everywhere he can reach. Steve holds onto him, and as minutes pass he finds himself falling apart, his world narrowing just to Bucky, just here, time stretching and contracting. Bucky keeps at his steady movement, never  picking up pace, never hitting harder. Steve can’t really see that much anymore, his eyes have gone hazy with pleasure, but he can tell Bucky’s leaning over him, looking at him, eyes blown black and lips kissed red.

It takes forever it feels, every moment both bliss and torture, it’s too much and not enough. Steve knows he’s making noise, probably not words anymore even though he knows he’s asking for something. Bucky dips down to press yet another kiss on his lips, sweet and light, and it’s what sends Steve over the edge into his orgasm, and he blacks out for a moment before floating back to coherency.

***

For the next few days Steve feels like his feet are constantly a few inches off the ground, he feels so light and happy, and Bucky seems to be about the same. They spend nearly every moment together, waking or sleeping. He knows it’s not going to stay that way, every new happiness feels sharper at first and he’ll get used to it, but for now he’s almost delirious with it.

He’s still conscious that while he’s happy and they’re closer than ever, there are still barriers between them. For all that they now spend even the nights together, it’s always at his room. It doesn’t matter in a practical sense, since it’s comfortable and all they really need, but the fact Steve hasn’t yet even seen Bucky’s rooms means something, means they’re not quite equal yet in the relationship. Won’t ever be, considering the limited freedom the bond between them allows for Steve.

It’s a constant conflict for him, so far not very pressing, but something that’s always been there, and he wonders if he’ll come to resent Bucky at some point. It seems all too likely, even when he loves Bucky. Because he does, he has acknowledged it to himself now, terrifying as it is. He still halfway doubts it can be real in this limited situation he has found himself in, and yet it’s true, he knows it in his heart. He also knows there might come a time, perhaps very likely will come a time that love will not be enough, that it will be mixed with other emotions. When that happens, the years of his life will feel long indeed.

For now though, he’s happy, and as with most of the things in his life now, he tries to enjoy it, tries to immerse himself into the moment. For a while it’s almost perfect. Soon though, there is a change he notices in Bucky.

Steve starts catching Bucky looking at him sometimes, in an almost wistful way, and he can’t figure out why it happens. After all, Bucky has him, bound and permanent, and yet it seems he wants something more. By now Steve well knows Bucky’s not at all shy about going after what he wants, but this time it almost looks like he’s pining for something he thinks he can’t have. Steve debates with himself on whether to point it out, whether to ask about it, and resolves to do so if it doesn’t change after a while. He’s a lot more confident these days when it comes to asking Bucky about things, but this skirts a bit too close to the part of their life he feels hesitant to touch.

As days and then weeks pass, they’re happy, together most of the time, laughing and talking, spending time lazily and making love, but there are moments, here and there, when Steve keeps catching an almost melancholy edge in the way Bucky looks at him. He hides it whenever Steve looks at him, it vanishes behind smiles, but not quite fast enough. Steve always tries to encourage the smiles, tries to think of something funny to say, or kiss Bucky especially sweetly in the moments after, but they persist.

One night, when Bucky’s dreaming next to him as he lies awake, the silver arm looped across him in a very possessive manner, Steve thinks it almost looks like Bucky’s trying to commit him to memory, trying to figure out how to say goodbye. He pushes the thought away, it doesn’t make sense because Bucky’s holding the bond, and Steve can’t leave. The only possibility he can think of is that there’s some danger he doesn’t know of, but it seems unlikely for now. First, he thinks Bucky would have told him, and secondly, if there was danger Bucky probably wouldn’t spend every possible moment frolicking with him in the garden.

Steve is left unsure, his newfound happiness shaky far too soon.

***

One morning Bucky gets up, saying he needs to do the regular check-up on the magical barriers of his realm. He makes a great show of reluctance when getting out of bed, making Steve laugh and try and catch him, but in the end Bucky gets dressed and kisses him, saying they’ll meet for the dinner.

Steve spends a couple of hours practicing with the sword, and afterward he reads for a few hours in the garden. It’s odd, to have so much time to spend without Bucky, it reminds him of the early days, when he’d only just arrived and he spent the days alone, only to meet Bucky for the the dinner. The feeling is intensified with the ritual of getting ready much the same as it was back then, there’s a bath drawn for him, as well as a new set of clothes.

Steve still quite doesn’t know what the clothes he and Bucky wear are made of, the fabrics are never quite recognizable, and everything seems to be finer than anything humans can make. For all he knows they might indeed be made of spider silk, albeit not sticky, and flower petals, however one would go about making something strong enough out of them. With magic one probably can.

The outfit this night is a bit more formal than usual for them now that the dinners aren’t quite as much of an occasion, and it definitely feels like something special is planned. Steve dresses with care in the mostly blue outfit, noting the gold embroidery on the collar of the white shirt, done with such a fine thread one can barely see it, but the warmth it brings to his skin is obvious. Looking at the mirror, he has yet another moment of momentary surprise, to see himself tall and broad instead of the thin figure he was before. He wonders how long it will take to get used to it.

Bucky is waiting for him in the dining hall, wearing all black with silver highlights, complicated floral embroidery done with the metallic thread at the cuffs of his jacket. Steve pauses at the entrance to the hall just to look at him, stricken again by how beautiful Bucky is, and that he’s very much not human. Most of the time Steve doesn’t think of it like that, thinks of him just as Bucky, but there are moments, like this one, when it really strikes him they’re not the same.

He steps in and Bucky comes to meet him, a warm smile on his lips and Steve finds himself letting go of his usual worries. The dinner table is overflowing really, there are all kinds of sweet and savory foods and drinks, and Steve is almost as overwhelmed as he was in the early days of his stay.

After dinner Bucky takes him to dancing again, as they sometimes do. By now Steve needs far less help from glamour to keep up, the occasional practice has helped, but he’s still nowhere near as comfortable at it as Bucky is, and hence he’s happy to let Bucky lead, to support and guide him, to twirl him around even. Bucky’s gaze never leaves him as they move together, the look in his eyes soft and happy, a small smile curving his lips. Steve has to smile too, it’s so easy to be happy when Bucky looks at him like this.

At the end of the song Bucky spins him again, and it’s only when he’s already losing his balance and falling Steve realizes they’re back in his room, and instead of the floor he flops down on his back onto his bed. He laughs as Bucky climbs in after him, coming for a kiss that Steve is all too happy to let him have.

Bucky seems even more determined than usual, even taking into account how he tends to take the lead when they have sex, and Steve allows himself to be pushed back, comfortable in the knowledge that whatever Bucky has in mind, he’s going to like it. He always does. He’s sometimes wondered if it’s some magical sense Bucky has that allows him to so accurately press all of Steve’s buttons, or if they’re just so compatible, but it probably doesn’t matter. It’s just another point where Steve counts himself lucky in that the fairy who wanted to make a deal with him was Bucky.

They’re naked soon enough, and Steve interrupts Bucky for a moment to pull him close, to have every possible square inch of their skin in contact. He always relishes it, to have Bucky flush against him, all the planes of flawless skin covering defined muscles, the left arm an exhilarating contrast. Bucky bites him at the corner of his jaw a bit in retaliation, and Steve laughs and lets him move again, lets him get on with whatever he has in mind.

Bucky moves down his body, taking a meandering path with his lips and tongue, sucking a mark over his collarbone, leaving a bite over his ribs that makes Steve moan, pausing at his left nipple for a good while and only letting go when it’s almost painful to touch. Steve hands are in Bucky’s hair, sliding over his shoulders as far as he can reach, just keeping steady contact. Bucky presses a kiss on his palm and gets up on his knees, shifting down again, bracketing Steve’s thighs with his knees.

Steve is completely hard, craving more contact, more pressure, just more, and he’s definitely not above asking. There are many iterations of Bucky’s name and the word please in the stream of words spilling down his lips, and he certainly has expectations when Bucky meets his eyes and licks his lips.

It surprises him when Bucky grasps his cock, hand slick with oil. It’s an unfamiliar sensation, and not at all what Steve expected, so he’s frozen for a moment and doesn’t quite comprehend what’s happening before Bucky’s moved forward and is already lowering himself on his cock.

Steve lets out a soft  _ oh, _ completely undone and overwhelmed suddenly. Distantly he realizes Bucky must have prepared himself since it’s an easy slide down for him, but really all he can think of is the newness of it, the sensation of being enveloped in tight heat. They haven’t done this, is the thing. So far it’s always been Bucky that has penetrated him, and truth be told it hasn’t even occurred to Steve think of the other way around, because he has been so completely satisfied. Now though, with Bucky above him with lips parted and eyes hooded, his cock sinking deep until he’s fully enveloped, Steve thinks he could get used to this too, and that both ways is an excellent idea.

He’s staring at Bucky, and he knows he must look overwhelmed, because there’s a gentle quirk at Bucky’s mouth.

“You okay there, Steve?”

It’s a fair question, but it comes out just a bit too protective to his taste, and he doesn’t want that kind of thinking right now, so he nudges his hips a bit and manages to not be overwhelmed by how he moves inside Bucky, even if it’s a near thing. “Would be better if you moved already.”

Bucky laughs then, low and throaty, and leans forward to kiss Steve, jostling their connection, and really, Bucky should move before Steve goes mad. Thankfully he does, he takes hold of Steve’s hands, interlaces their fingers and pushes them down by his head, getting leverage. He starts slow, steady, about the same pace he usually does, Steve realizes. Steve can’t do much at all besides take it, he’s overcome and overwhelmed, head spinning with the newness of it all, and he’s close already. Bucky must notice it too, after all he knows all of Steve’s tells, and he ups the pace while squeezing around him every time he rises.

Steve comes with Bucky’s name on his lips, blacking out for a second as Bucky bends down to kiss him. For a moment Steve can only try and regain his equilibrium and to let Bucky kiss him, but as soon as he’s more coherent he notices Bucky’s still hard, his cock trapped between them. He slips his hands from Bucky’s grasp and takes hold of his hips, pulling him up toward him. He slides out of Bucky, and it’s almost cold, despite the comfortable warmth in his room, but he doesn’t think about it now, he has other priorities.

Bucky gets what he’s aiming at and walks forward on his knees, braces himself on the headboard and shifts so that Steve can take his cock into his mouth. It’s a bit awkward position, the angle is difficult and Bucky’s size even more of a challenge than usual, but Steve gets to it, sucks the head and works on the rest  with his hand. Bucky’s hips shift just a bit, in and out, and he’s trembling in just seconds. It doesn’t take long at all before he too is coming. Steve sucks him through it and when he’s softening helps him lie down next to him.

Bucky pushes at him to roll over, and soon enough Steve is enveloped by Bucky, back to chest, metal arm curved around his waist, holding tight. It’s a good way to fall asleep.

***

The next morning they go for a walk in the garden. It’s still winter and the sun is low above the horizon, but it’s a clear day and there is a place where a sunbeam reaches to the ground. There’s a lot of light in the garden every day, even the artificial lights warm and golden and apparently enough for the plants, but as Steve walks into the sun he can’t help but feel the difference. He pauses there, lifting his face up and closing his eyes, enjoying the warmth on his skin.

He’s conscious of Bucky moving to the front of him, and he opens his eyes to look when Bucky takes his hands into his. There’s sadness in his eyes, and it jolts Steve hard, because so far the morning has been happy, and he knows what Bucky’s going to say is going to change everything.

Bucky looks at him for a moment, as if drinking him in, etching every feature into his heart, before looking down to their joined hands. All Steve can do is wait, there are no words he can find now, no question he wants to ask, no protestation to make even when fear wraps around him.

Bucky visibly steels and looks back up. “I am releasing you from our agreement. You’re free.”

He lets go of Steve’s hands, and Steve is left reeling, because it’s not the only thing that lets go. The glamour that’s been wrapped around his heart unravels, and he only now realizes how much it’s been constricting him, the weight he’s been bearing is evident now that it’s falling away. It feels good, he can’t deny that, and he’s happy too, in truth. He also feels empty, and he’s terrified, for all that his regained freedom is in a way the most precious gift he’s ever received.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending the year with a bang:D It was an accident that the part where Bucky lets Steve go falls on this day, but it's fairly appropriate I think.
> 
> A very happy new year to all of you reading this!


	8. Chapter 8

Steve is still reeling, conflicting emotions pulling him this way and that, but something finally rises to top. The need for clarity is the most pressing feeling, and so he looks at Bucky, who seems to have drawn into himself after releasing him.

“Bucky, why? Did I do something to cause you to not want me anymore?”

Bucky lets out a breath of laughter, even though there’s nothing amused about it. “No, that’s not it at all. You’ve done everything right. More than, really.” He pauses for a moment, and motions at the seating area  under the tree that’s Steve’s favorite place in the garden. “Can we sit down? I’ll explain, it’s just tricky. Or maybe not, I don’t know.”

Steve is still confused, but less terrified now, because it doesn’t feel like Bucky wants to push him away, even though he broke the contract. They sit down and Bucky fiddles with a wilted flower that has fallen from a tree.

“You know from our stories that we are much more tied to the world and the flow of magic than humans are. It means there’s less room for how our life will turn out, there are things we’re meant to do, people we’re meant to meet, and we do. There’s no other way it can happen. Sometimes the magic creates a connection between two beings, and they’re supposed to be together forever. If it’s two of our kind, they form a bond the moment they meet, and live together all through their lives. It’s kind of like marriage of your kind, but not quite.”

Steve listens to Bucky, and he wants to reach out for him, but knows it’s not the time. He’s still not sure if he even can get as close to Bucky as they’ve been ever again.

“I’ve lived mostly alone for a long time ever since the war,” Bucky continues. “I came to think it was my lot, to guard this realm and meet my friends every once in a while. It wasn’t a bad life, and I was content even, but then one night I found my soul singing, meaning there was someone I was supposed to be with. I followed the threads of magic calling to me to the edge of my realm, and only then realized the predicament I was in; that somehow what I felt was due to a human being. You. And I didn’t know how it would work, because your kind is not tied to fate, no magic would be strong enough to force you toward me, because for your kind your choices are what dictate the progression of your lives.”

Steve feels faint, the explanation of why Bucky has kept track of him all through the years suddenly clear. It’s a whole new angle to all that’s happened, and it makes his head buzz with thoughts.

“So you made it a choice for me?”

“More like I took a chance. I tried that time when you were a child, I would have brought you here and we would have played in endless summer, that’s what I though. But you know it didn’t work.”

“Wait, hold on. Wouldn’t that have been weird? Since you’d already lived for however long despite looking like a child?”

Bucky blinks, clearly having to reroute his mind. “Yeah, I can see how it would look like that to you. But it’s not quite like you think. You see, when we take another form, it’s more than just looking different. We  _ are _ different. One of my kind living nearby can shift into a hawk, and when he does, he is a hawk, for real. When I looked like a child, I was one, the years I’d lived weighed less. That’s why it’s dangerous to shift, you may not want to come back. Or you won’t be able to. Some of my kind, when the burden of world has become too great, have shifted into trees. They can’t come back, because trees don’t have such a consciousness.”

Steve considers it for a moment, then focuses back on the story. “So what did you do then?”

“I gave up.” The admission is frank, and Bucky shrugs at him. “I figured it was a mistake of some kind. I’ve told you there’s less magic now, so I thought it didn’t always work right anymore. And then one morning I felt you trying to enter the Forest, and realized it was a moment for you to make a choice. So I asked, and you agreed.”

“And now? Why did you let go of me if we’re supposed to be together?”

“Because I fell in love with you, and not the way fairies usually do when it comes to mortals. That’s about possessing, about ownership, but what I’ve come to feel is more real. And when I realized it had somehow come to that, I knew I couldn’t keep you, couldn’t force you with the bond. So I let go.”

There it is then, the clarity Steve wanted, the reason for Bucky to undo their connection, and it’s all Steve could have hoped for. Now his freedom really is a gift, for all that in a fair world it never should have been Bucky’s to give. Then again, it wasn’t really Bucky who took it from him, even if he was the one holding his word, at root it was all Pierce.

Steve reaches and takes Bucky’s hands in his, because now he dares. He looks up to Bucky’s all too vulnerable eyes. “And what if even now that I’m free, I want to stay with you?”

Bucky grasps at his hands, holding tight, but then lets go and they only stay in contact because Steve isn’t relaxing his hold. At least Bucky doesn’t pull away.

“I’m not sure you’re meant to live the way I do, under the mound. I know you miss the sun.”

Steve shakes his head, because it’s really the most ridiculous argument. “I don’t need the sun all the time, I can go out and come back, it’s fine. I haven’t exactly wilted during the time I’ve spent here, you know.”

“And what of your country?” Bucky asks then, and this time he at least has a point. 

Up until now Steve has mostly tried to avoid thinking too much of his kingdom and the situation there, because their bond prevented him from leaving. Now it’s not a hindrance anymore, and he can’t deny that the duty he’s been taught to hold up ever since birth calls for him. He needs to know what’s going on, and try to help those in need. He’s not confident at all that Pierce is ruling the right way, he certainly doesn’t have the authority, and Steve is the one that has the obligation to try and make it right.

“You’re right, I want to do something about it. I don’t know what exactly I can do, I need to find out what’s going on first. But Bucky, I love you too, and I want to try to make this work. So please, can we try at least? Can we fight for us, since we both want to be together, whatever other obligations we have? It’s only doomed for us if we let it be.”

Bucky’s eyes grow huge when Steve says he loves him, and for several heartbeats Steve has to stand the scrutiny, has to wait while Bucky thinks. Finally Bucky relaxes, his eyes softening. “You know, I’ve noticed that humans fight much harder than my kind does for what they want, and I guess it’s mortality that makes you more conscious of how fleeting time is, how precious every chance. You’re right, we won’t know unless we try.”

Bucky pulls him close and Steve goes, their lips meeting for a kiss that’s all the sweeter now that it’s entirely because they want to, nothing compelling either one of them.  

“I still belong to you, bond or no bond,” Steve whispers against Bucky’s lips. “I want to.”

“You have me,” Bucky says. “You always did.”

Steve feels something settling in his heart, and he realizes it must be another bond, but it feels completely different. It’s not one meant to restrict one of them, it just ties them together. From the way Bucky gasps he knows it’s something that happened spontaneously, it’s not something Bucky did. It was the promise probably, both of them confessing that they were each other’s.

Steve laughs with happiness, and a little bit at how huge Bucky’s eyes are, how surprised he is. This is not something he envisioned would happen, but it makes him all the more confident they will make it.

***

The day is spent in a unexpected hesitancy, the shift in their relationship somehow monumental even when practically nothing is going to change on the surface. It almost feels like they’re learning to touch each other again, hands curious and yet tempered with timidity, and Steve realizes he’s going to have to be the one to pull them forward.

He thinks it’s because this is new to Bucky, this kind of commitment that comes from choice, even if it is mixed with the magical potential. It’s fairy and human coming together because they both freely want to, not due to force and coercion, and Steve has read and heard enough stories of Bucky’s kind by now that he knows it’s extremely rare. It helps that he’s definitely more centered now, being able to pick his own way instead of being thrown around by circumstance. And he knows Bucky, knows this is real, and it gives him just a bit of added confidence to push them through this. He’s sure Bucky will shake the hesitancy off soon enough.

They eat in the garden, they haven’t left since they came in the morning. They’ve held each other, they’ve kissed and touched all through the day, but when they’re done eating Steve decides it’s time for a more direct approach.

“Are you going to take us somewhere more comfortable or should I just climb on you right here? It is getting a bit cold, though.”

Bucky blinks, it’s as if something shifts in him, and when he smiles he seems much more like before, like the man who knows what he wants. Steve is happy with the turn, and when Bucky rises and holds out a hand for him, he lets himself be pulled to his feet without hesitation.

Instead of just whisking them away Bucky leads him by foot, passing through the now familiar corridors. They come to a passage that Steve’s been through many times, only he’s sure he hasn’t seen the door they stop by ever before.

Inside is a suite of rooms, and they’re so obviously Bucky’s that Steve doesn’t need to ask. There are several comfortable chairs, many books on shelves in one corner, all kinds of curious and beautiful objects, some of them decorative, others practical. There are musical instruments too, a little wooden flute on a cushion on a side table, now faded and maybe fragile. 

Steve only gets a glimpse of it all since Bucky pulls him through to the bedroom, where the little lights dotting the ceiling create the pattern of constellations on the actual sky, and the bed seems comfortable and inviting. They both kick off their boots and crawl up into the middle of the bed, where Bucky pulls Steve into a kiss. Steve holds him close, wanting to savor every moment of this, their new start that’s still all familiar. Bucky’s mouth is the same as ever, both yielding and demanding, his tongue curling around Steve’s, teeth nipping his lover lip. All of it well known, all of it something Steve will never get enough of.

He buries his fingers into Bucky’s hair, combing through the long strands, and Bucky starts opening the buttons of his shirt, pulling just a bit away from the kiss.

“Do you know why I never brought you here?” Bucky asks.

“No, but I noticed. I wondered.”

“Well, at first it was the custom and formality, you know how we were. But later, when we got closer it would have made sense, only then I started to realize I’d probably have to let you go at some point. As I fell more in love I became more and more conscious of how wrong it was to hold you here with the contract, and with that, I couldn’t bear the idea of having had you here, in my safe place, if I was going to lose you.”

It makes sense, Steve thinks he would have done the same. He slips one hand between them, slides the palm to rest over Bucky’s heart. “I’m not going to leave you.”

Bucky looks at him, his eyes very blue and calm, serious but happy. “I know. I believe you.”

All throughout the day Steve has held an idea in his head that in a way Bucky is more tied by the magic than he is, precisely due to his nature. He is a being of magic, and it affects him in ways Steve can never quite grasp, since he’s a whole different kind of a being. For all that Bucky has a free will and capability to choose, when he chooses something, it’s more permanent than it is for humans, and right now it really is dawning to Steve how significant it is that Bucky says he knows Steve will stay.

Humans have a lot of stories where the Fair Folk is described as fickle, but Steve now thinks it’s more to do with not understanding the choices they make, not understanding the motivations. Their actions often lead to goals that aren’t always comprehensible or relevant to humans. Conversely, he thinks humans must seem fickle to fairies in return, matters of heart being one area in particular. It’s a lot of trust Bucky is placing on him, and it explains the hesitancy he’s had about it. Steve wants more than anything to be worthy of it, and he intends to do his utmost to never let Bucky down.

They throw away the rest of their clothes, and as soon as he’s naked Steve reaches for Bucky and pulls him on top of him, cradled between his legs. He hooks his ankles together behind Bucky’s hips and drags him close, chasing after contact that Bucky’s all too happy to provide. It’s like they’re in a hurry all of the sudden, the mood chances from gentle to frantic as Bucky latches his mouth onto Steve’s throat, sucking and biting, and Steve presses his fingers into Bucky’s skin, feeling the shifting muscles at his back.

They’re too far gone for anything complicated, too far gone to slow it down, but the movement of Bucky’s undulating hips against Steve’s is heavenly, their cocks pressing together. Steve hangs onto it, urging Bucky on, moving his hips to meet him as best he can under him, until it’s too much and he tips over, spilling between them. Bucky follows soon after and falls heavy on top of him, his breaths hot at the crook of Steve’s neck.

For a while they can only breathe, pull air in, the frantic beat of their hearts a comforting echo where their bodies are plastered together. As they slide out of the bliss into more comfortable happiness Steve feels them reach the regular resting heart rate, perfectly in time.

He slides Bucky down to his side since his hip starts to complain, but they don’t move any farther, they try to keep as much skin contact as possible. Bucky’s hand rests on top of his heart, as if he too finds stability in the regular rhythm.

They rest, but neither one of them falls asleep, even if it’s getting late enough. Steve draws patterns into the skin on Bucky’s back, Bucky huffing out laughter when he finds a spot that tickles, but otherwise he hums under his breath, a melody Steve knows by now very well, but only has heard from Bucky.

After a while Bucky falls silent, and Steve can almost hear him thinking.

“What is it?”

“I’m just thinking, I went about it all wrong. With you. I should have just helped you, asked you to come with me, kept you safe without asking for anything.”

“It’s not what your kind does, though. I knew it when I agreed to the deal,” Steve points out.

“True, but your people do, help those in need just because of it.”

“Not everyone does, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. But the good ones do. And I knew it, I should have followed that lead.”

“Maybe,” Steve allows, pulling Bucky closer. “So, let’s think of it like this, what would you have done if I’d told you no thanks back there at the edge of the Forest, I’ll just take my life instead? Would you have let that happen?”

“Of course not,” Bucky says, scandalized.

“So, what then? Would you have forced me to come with you?”

Bucky is quiet for a moment, really thinking about it, which Steve appreciates. “No, I don’t think I would have. I really don’t like the idea of doing so to anyone, because I was compelled and forced against my will by HYDRA. I would have figured out something else I think.”

“There you go then. It would have been different, but I’m sure in the end we still would have ended up right here. You’re right about how this did happen kind of backwards, but we’re here, and I’m happy. We can do better from now on, both of us.”

“Got something specific you want to start with?”

“How about not sleeping in different rooms, ever?” Steve squeezes him a bit, and Bucky responds in kind.

“Sounds like a plan. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry for asking for you to give up your freedom.”

Steve smiles and kisses him on the temple. “You’re forgiven. Do you think I should move here, since you’ve got more space?”

Bucky thinks for a moment. “Well, maybe for now, but I think we should make a new apartment for the both of us, not just move you into my space. That way we can have it exactly like we want. Could put it south from the garden, there’s nothing there yet, and the rock in there is beautiful, a lot of different quartz veins.”

They talk a bit about their ideas of what they’d like to have in their living space, until they fall asleep curled around each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s not always easy to predict the response to anything you’ve written, because you’re too close to it, and for example things like cliffhangers aren’t nearly as effective in your own head, because you know what’ll happen in the next part. Hence, the response to the previous chapter was rather more hilarious than I expected, sorry for causing heart palpitations and laughing about it afterward, virtual hugs to you all <3.
> 
> Anyway, it had to be done that Bucky broke their bond, because it had been formed when Steve was in distress, and as he suspected, he would have come to resent it in time, and that would have destroyed them. Anyway, here they are happily heading in the right direction, and there’ll be some expansion to their world starting from the next chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

Somehow they manage to get out of the bed relatively early the next day, and actually get dressed up and have lunch sitting down instead of in bed tangled with each other. Not that they ever manage to stray very far from each other, and after lunch they end up in Bucky’s seating area that’s pretty much a raised platform with a mountain of cushions. Steve settles comfortably on his back, his head resting on Bucky’s thigh. He meant to read for a bit, but he doesn’t get much of it done, Bucky’s fingers in his hair are all too distracting.

He’s not sleepy really, just comfortably drifting as he lets his eyes fall closed and slowly everything but Bucky’s touch becomes distant. Hence he’s immediately aware when Bucky pauses with his ministrations, and when Steve looks up he’s got a faraway look in his eyes, as if he’s listening to something. Bucky blinks and focuses on Steve again, a smile that looks mostly resigned on his face.

“We have guests.”

Steve knows Bucky could just whisk them away to immediately greet whoever it is, but he doesn’t, instead they walk. He thinks it’s probably to give them both time to adjust to the thought of having other people around. Even though Steve knows Bucky has friends that live relatively nearby, he hasn’t properly met any of them yet, has only seen Natalia that one time, from a distance. He has an impression that since Bucky’s kind live so much longer than humans, time works differently for them and they often go longer periods without seeing each other. They can also communicate from distance, even though Steve doesn’t really understand how it works, Bucky has tried to explain it but he only got a faint idea, that it’s not really talking to each other, more like sharing emotions, and hence less specific.

He’s curious now, and a bit unsure, conscious that he’s different from all of them, and it seems reasonable that they might not understand the way they’ve bonded with Bucky. He doesn’t think they’ll disapprove, since Bucky seems mostly relaxed and would warn him if there was hostility ahead. Still, it’s hard to be completely reassured.

There are four of them altogether waiting in the garden. Natalia is the only one Steve recognizes, and as they’re making introductions she tells him that he should call her Natasha, that Bucky is weirdly formal about it sometimes. She says it with obvious affection toward Bucky, who makes a face at her but is clearly hiding a smile.

Her companion is a man named Clint, who seems unassuming, as much as anyone of the fairy kind can be, but Steve thinks he’s someone with hidden depths. Besides the two of them there are twins Wanda and Pietro, his white hair a stark contrast to her dark strands, but their eyes are the same, much too old for their young features.

Each of them has brought a single flower which they present to Steve. He knows that it’s a significant step, it’s a formal acknowledgment that they accept him as part of their group, that from now on he is entitled to all help and protection they can give. They are the closest thing that Bucky has for a family, and the acceptance floors Steve, especially since they’ve never even met him. 

His thoughts must be obvious, since Wanda says as she hands out the red lily, “The forest trusts you. It’s enough for us.”

After they’ve all retreated to their rooms to get ready for the dinner, albeit Steve to Bucky’s since he’s not going to be alone unless forced, he brings their behavior up with Bucky.

“I thought it would take longer for them to completely warm up to me, most of them have never even seen me and yet they decided to just take me in.”

Bucky tilts his head, as if he has to reorganize his thoughts somehow.

“True, it would be different for your kind. You see, the way we can communicate across distance, it’s less precise if you have to deal with specific information, but when it comes to knowing someone, it’s not really about that. It’s more about feeling, the overall sense of them, and that I can project over distance, and have. And they know I’m happy, so it’s not so strange.”

“So you just spaced out at some point and told them all we’d come to this new agreement?”

“Not really.” Bucky looks a bit sheepish now. “I think it mostly just leaked over. It’s been a long time since I was truly happy.”

Steve’s heart wants to break for him, and he pulls Bucky into his arms and rests his chin on his shoulder, just holding him. He’s assumed as much, he knows from Bucky’s stories that his life since the HYDRA wars has been anything but easy, even though he’s found stability and even contentment here in his own realm. It’s yet another thing to hear him say it outright.

The dinner itself is a fairly raucous affair, a lot of fun stories are told, not all of which Steve can fully grasp, but then again his childhood memories seem about as fascinating to the others as their stories of magical life are to him. At first they talk among the whole group, but as evening passes they drift into smaller groups and pairs, switching seats and companions.

Natasha finds Steve at one point, and she looks at him again with her greenish grey eyes that seem to delve right into his soul. Her smile is friendly, and Steve thinks it’s genuine, even when she’d probably be able to deceive him if he wanted.

“I’ve observed humans from time to time,” she starts, “and I’ve noticed often when people form a bond, their relatives tell the other half of the union that if they hurt their partner, they’ll have to answer to the group. I’m not going to do that, none of us is.”

Steve smiles, even when he knows it’s a bit unsure. “Then what is this?”

“It would be rather disrespectful toward him, wouldn’t it? It would imply we somehow doubt both his choice and the ability to deal with his life. Instead, I’m offering you support. I know this must be overwhelming, and I suspect at some point it will be even more so than it is now. And maybe you’ll need other people besides him to help you, since you’re the one moving into a new life. We’re here for that, any time you need.”

Steve doesn’t tear up, even though it’s a near thing. It’s yet another demonstration of their acceptance of him, and it makes him hopeful for the future, to know it’s not just the two of them, they have others willing to support them. He vows to himself he’ll do the same for them whenever needed.

***

The next day the discussion turns to more serious matters when Steve and Bucky are asked what they’re planning to do in the near future, and they tell the group they’ll want to find out what’s happening in Steve’s kingdom, and if at all possible, try and help the people and get rid of the traitors.

“That’s good,” Natasha says. “There’s definitely something going on under surface there, I can’t quite see what it is, but it makes me uneasy.”

“The Forests are distrustful too,” Wanda adds. “And not just here, toward the burned kingdom in the north as well. It’s like there’s an echo in the air, something happening, and I don’t like it.”

“None of us do,” Bucky says.

They all agree to help the two of them with whatever is necessary to solve the situation, and part of Steve wants to protest; after all it’s a human quarrel, not really their problem. Furthermore, they’ve all suffered in the hands of HYDRA, and are still bearing the scars of that time. They’d fully deserve to stay safe in their Forests, under their protective mounds, but they won’t. In the end, Steve accepts it all, since he knows he’s seeing the promises made the day before coming to fruition, and he accepted them already. It’s true too, that he’ll stand a better chance the more allies he has.

He knows he can’t go back to his old life, and he doesn’t want to either. He well knows he’s been permanently altered and there’s no returning to the path he was raised for since he was a child. He was meant to be the king, but now he won’t, he’ll stay here with Bucky. He knows that since the serum he’s not exactly a human anymore, not the way he was when he was born, and he thinks it would be a bad idea for a human kingdom to be ruled by a person that’s something else.

Yet, he also does feel the responsibility for his country, the thing his mother instilled into him above everything else. It can’t die, and he won’t dishonor her by abandoning her principles. Instead now that he can, he’ll fight for his country, and try to find a solution that works for everyone. There are already threads of a plan forming in his head, but he’ll need more information before it solidifies.

***

They set out the next morning, riding out to the edge of the Forest, close to Steve’s home kingdom. Clint and Pietro will do the actual scouting, Clint in the form of a hawk and Pietro on his swift feet. It’s still almost surreal to Steve to see it happening, even after so long in Bucky’s company. For all that he uses magic regularly, it’s mostly in ways that are familiar to Steve, to help with life, to do things Steve might do as a human. Turning into a bird and running so fast no one can see the passing is a whole another thing.

The four of them left behind wait mostly in silence, the Forest quiet the way it is in the winter, a blanket of snow muffling all the sounds around them. It’s not going to last too much longer, already the days are growing lighter, and Steve thinks it’ll be a few more weeks before the snow is melting away. It’s a clear day, sky pale blue, sun up and making every ice crystal look like a diamond. Steve is comfortably warm, Bucky’s thoughtful bit of glamour wrapping around him like an embrace.

As they wait, Wanda looks steadily out, absorbed in concentration, and Steve is sure she’s reaching out with her thoughts, maybe keeping a track on her brother. Natasha looks relaxed, almost bored, but Steve catches her looking at him and Bucky on occasion, probably filing away how they interact together. Bucky apparently without really thinking about it at one point steers his horse closer to Steve and circles his fingers around his wrist, the touch grounding but quite frankly possessive at the same time.

The sun has just dipped down below the horizon when Wanda says, “They’re here.”

The next moment Pietro is standing by her horse, completely unruffled, not looking a bit like he’s been running the whole day. Clint in his hawk form drops down from the sky right onto his saddle, shifting back into his skin right away and taking the reins Natasha hands to him.

Steve wants to demand them what they found out, but he knows it doesn’t work like that, apparently for both of them the way their minds process information, be it as a bird or in high speed, is different from usual, and it takes time for them to interpret what they experienced. Hence they all ride back and gather in one of Bucky’s comfortable sitting rooms in front of the fire, with hot drinks to warm them up. It’s a lot more effective scouting method than humans can manage, because Wanda works as a medium for them, projecting an image of what they saw into a mirror.

It’s immediately obvious the people are not as happy as Steve remembers them being when his mother ruled. They’re not suffering by any means, there are just less smiles, and more of them keeping to their own business. There are also groups of people, clearly pledged for some cause, wearing black and red armbands as the walk around, and the rest of the people seem apprehensive of them.

Back at the castle the flags flying are still the traditional red, white, and blue, but there are also red and black flags among them. There seem to be a lot of soldiers, and many of their leaders are men that Steve remembers giving him uneasy sensation. Rumlow is there too too, walking around as if he owns the place, and it more than anything makes Steve’s blood boil. It’s also obvious they’re preparing for some sort of event, certainly for a lot of guests arriving, and as the scene changes to a perspective from high above, Steve sees it’s indeed a big deal that’s happening. On the road to the castle are processions from each of the neighboring kingdoms, and it’s not just anyone coming; Peggy, Tony, and Thor are all riding in, along with their advisers and friends.

Steve doesn’t get to see them close, but he can tell that while they’re coming for a visit, there’s tension in the air.

Inside the castle, because Pietro managed even that, things are partly as they used to be, with people  bustling around, but also not, because it’s all the wrong people. There’s no sign of anyone from Steve’s closest circle, and he worries about Sam, who should be one of the key figures of the military, and yet is nowhere to be seen.

Pierce is holding court, it’s the only word Steve can think that is appropriate, but when the image focuses on the doctor who took care of Steve for all his life until he escaped, Bucky next to him goes rigid and lets out a strangled snarl.

Natasha has gone completely still, and her eyes are flinty when she says, “Zola.”

Steve of course recognizes the name from Bucky’s accounts of his time as HYDRA’s prisoner. “But how can that be? I saw a lot of him, he was our doctor, and he never felt like anything other than a human. Not the way you all feel to me.”

“He must be cloaking himself somehow,” Natasha says. “We thought he died in the wars, but he must have gotten away and hidden among the humans. It’s the only way he could have survived, the Forest would have killed him had he ever tried to enter.” She’s quiet for a moment, and as he waits for her to continue, Steve feels Bucky’s hand trembling in his. “We know what this means. Zola, the coup, the militarizing, the red and black colors.”

“HYDRA,” Wanda says, nearly spitting the word out.

“And we know what we must do as well.” Bucky’s voice is even now, cold, and Steve can feel him pulling himself together again after the shock, finding a whole new determination. “We root them out for good, make sure they’re gone. We must do it now before they’re powerful enough to be out in the open again.”

Each and everyone of them nods in agreement, and it’s almost as if winter chill has entered the room, all of them determined and ready for it. Suddenly it’s no longer personal just for Steve, it’s so for all of them, a battle over life and death, because they all know if HYDRA can find a new foothold in the world, it is only a matter of time before they come after the fairies and their magic again.


	10. Chapter 10

They all agree that they need to act fast, that HYDRA most likely is preparing for something since they’ve invited the rulers of the neighboring countries to them. It will be best if they can cut short their plans, to make sure HYDRA won’t get ahead any more than they already have.

They all know they’re lucky in a sense, to have caught up on it now instead of later. Natasha says HYDRA must have used some magic to hide their presence and their growing numbers, otherwise they would have found out about it much earlier. It also explains why Peggy clearly isn’t aware of what exactly is going on, normally she should know there is danger around with the help of the mirror her family has used for centuries. Whatever HYDRA’s doing, probably with the help of Zola, must have hidden them from her as well, mostly anyway. From what Steve saw of his friends, he could tell they were on edge, even if they’ve come, and he thinks they’re probably suspecting something.

It’s easier said than done to stop HYDRA. For all that they have more magic at their hands than the humans do, there are still only five magical beings, as well as Steve who’s not quite human anymore, stronger and faster, but that’s it. HYDRA has a lot more people at their side, an army really. A straight up confrontation isn’t going to work here.

The solution is born from Bucky saying they also need to take into an account that they’re not as strong with magic in the human lands, since they lack the support from their Forest. It gives Steve an idea, one that seals the future for his country.

“What if,” he says, “we brought the Forest to them?”

Steve wouldn’t be surprised if they told him to not meddle with things he doesn’t fully understand, and he’s prepared to have to try and convince them to hear him, but there’s no need.

“What is your idea?” Natasha asks.

“They’re not going to come here where you’d have an upper hand, but maybe we can work around that. Bucky’s told me stories of the old dealings between your kind and mine, and that territory could be sometimes exchanged. Even this Forest used to be partly human land once upon a time, given as a gift. Now, since I’m the rightful ruler, magically blood-bound by the protection spell, I should be able to give up the right to some of our territory, shouldn’t I?”

Clint grins. “That might actually work.”

“Right,” Steve nods, thinking. “There’s also the benefit that the castle is closer to the Forest than any other buildings, and there’s the river between it and the town, looping from the Forest to the plain and right back in here. It would create a natural border that would be easily defined, and we’d be able to stay out of the town.”

“It would also make the spell easier to create, to limit it with the water. There would be no need to walk the new border, and risk being seen,” Wanda adds.

All of them are nodding now, their minds clearly already rushing to accommodate the idea into the threads of their plans. There’s a sense of satisfaction in Steve, that he’s understood enough of how the magic works to be able to help, to be able to contribute to the plan to save his country.

Bucky takes a hold of his hand, and speaks low enough to be only heard by him. “Are you sure? After all, it would take your ancestral home outside of the kingdom and change it forever.”

“I’m sure. My mother always told me it’s the people that make the country, not the other way around. So if it’s the sacrifice that has to be made to make sure they’re safe, it’s nothing. Besides, I think it is time for a change anyway.”

“What are you planning?”

“Not quite sure yet, I’ll need to see how we succeed, as well as talk to Peggy, Thor, and Tony. It’ll affect them as well if the situation in my kingdom changes, and I don’t want to make anything more difficult for them.”

“Okay.” Bucky nods, encouraging. “If you’re sure, I’m all in too. It’s a good plan, it will put us in control of the situation.

***

They get to work early the next day. The ritual to gift the land to the Forest is simple enough, helped by the fact that Steve’s family has been bonded through the magic of the shield to the domain for centuries already, and that the magic resides in his blood. Hence all he has to do is stand at the border of the Forest where the river flows out, and trickle some of his blood into the water while formally relinquishing the territory.

They then wait for the water to carry the magic all the way to the point where the river re-enters the Forest. That’ll be when the spell fully takes hold, and they can move to the next part of the plan. At the rate the river flows, it’ll be late that evening, which suits them fine.

Steve is not worried HYDRA will try something during the day while they’re not yet ready. He’s sure they want to at least parrot the appearances of proper behavior, and custom dictates royal guests should have a full day of rest from travels before any talks or events can be held. Pietro and Clint still go out again scouting, and confirm that they’re still getting ready at the castle, apparently for some kind of a ceremony, and that the guests have settled in.

“It’ll be a ceremony alright,” Bucky mutters, and Steve grins at him, just as determined. The next day will be an important one, and they’re all going to make sure they’ll win.

It’s a few hours from the sunset when Steve notes all of his companions straightening from their relaxed poses where they wait near the border of the Forest, and it’s no surprise when Natasha says, “The land has been received by the Forest.”

There’s a gentle glow at the edge of the Forest, faint enough that Steve would maybe doubt his eyes or think it’s only moonlight, except he can see the snowdrifts shifting, and soon enough there are small trees peeking out, bare of leaves as is appropriate for the season, yet undeniably growing. It’s the most bizarre thing he’s seen yet, and it’s saying something.

“Time to do it, Wanda,” Clint says.

She steps out to the clearing and her hands glow red before she throws the light out, making it spread outward. Steve knows it’s a spell to make everyone in and around the castle fall asleep, so that they’ll stay put until the the Forest has fully moved to the new territory.

They start toward the castle, the new trees lengthening all around them, getting thicker and stronger, looking more and more like the woods near Bucky’s mound. Here too they never have trouble walking forward, the path opens before them, snow shallow and easy to pass through. Steve looks around him as they go, wondering what it would look like if it was summer, would it look more like natural growth sped up rather than this strange change.

“They’re not really growing, as you would understand it,” Natasha says next to him. “The conditions are not right, because trees sleep through the winter.”

“What is happening, then?”

“They are in pockets of time that moves more swiftly, you’re seeing snapshots of potential, perpetually changing. Achieves the same end, but it’s not the same. This area will always be a winter forest at heart, even in the height of summer when the leaves are thick and snow just a memory.”

“It’s okay, I rather like winter these days.” 

Steve grins at her, still marveling over the fact that he has no trouble walking around in the snow covered forest, that his breath flows easily even as it mists in the frozen air, again contemplating all the changes he’s gone through. It’ll be a test of sorts, the next day when his friends will see him. He too will know then if he’s still the same person at heart, or if he has changed too much without noticing it.

They make it to the castle in a few hours, and the Forest is already growing there too, not too tall yet but dense and strong already. There are guards still at their posts, fallen asleep where they stood, as well as other residents and workers that had been going around with their business when Wanda’s spell hit them. Most of the people seem to have retired already, and Steve hopes his friends are sleeping comfortably.

It’s eerie, to walk through the gates in the complete silence around them; even the horses and other animals are sleeping. Steve thinks of a story he was told when he was young, of a princess that slept for a hundred years in a castle buried in a forest of thorns. In that story too the thorns let the correct person pass, same as the Forest here has let them through.

Steve is not looking for a princess though, even when he means to save the kingdom. The first item on his agenda is to go and see the Queen.

***

As Steve heads toward the passage that will take him to the burial chambers the others drop away, giving him privacy. Even Bucky makes a move to let him go by himself, except Steve catches his hand and tugs him along. He doesn’t want to do this alone. Bucky settles in step with him, squeezing his hand reassuringly as they walk forward, past the dungeons and food storages.

It’s always cold in the burial chambers; they’re in the caves deep inside the hill that the castle half perches on. The doors aren’t currently sealed, they can’t be for as long as the crown is still with his mother. It’s dark down there, the torches having burned out, but Bucky calls out a sphere of light to hover over their heads.

“You’re rather practical to keep around sometimes,” Steve says, trying to calm his nerves by their usual banter.

“Only sometimes?” Bucky murmurs back, eyes crinkling with mirth.

“It’s certainly all I’ll admit, wouldn’t do to have your head get any bigger than it is already.”

They’re at the end of the corridor then, and Steve pauses for a moment at the opening as the sphere floats in and lights up the central chamber. In the center is the ceremonial table, a huge slab of black rock, smoothed by time, and his mother’s body is laid to rest on top of it. She’s waiting there, has done so for much longer than the traditional ten days. It should have been only until the coronation, after which she should have been shifted to one of the sealed crypts.

She’s perfectly preserved, looking exactly the same as Steve remembers from the day she was brought here. Even the cluster of roses placed on her chest in her clasped hands is fresh. The shielding spell has taken care of it, the natural forces of decay are held in stasis for as long as the crown is still hers. Steve half wants to leave it as is, to make sure she stays forever the same, but he knows she wouldn’t want it. She’d want him to do his best to make sure their country, that their people are safe and well.

He bends down to kiss her on the forehead, whispering his final goodbyes, and carefully slides the crown from her head. It’s heavier than it looks, the delicately shaped leaves and flowers with their jewel hearts look almost fragile, but it feels solid in his hands. He doesn’t put it on, it’s not the right place.

He backs away a bit, and Bucky who’s so far hung back comes to stand next to him. He gestures at his mother. “Could you—?”

He doesn’t have to articulate the rest of it. Instead Bucky takes his hand again in support, and the light in the chamber grows, the walls glowing white. She is gently floated to the open crypt prepared for her, and the door closes, not making even a whisper of sound. There are tears in Steve’s eyes as the light begins to fade again, but also peace in his heart, as if she’s telling him she approves of his actions and decisions. He hopes she does, wherever she might be.

Soon there’s only the glowing sphere left, still hovering above their heads, and Steve leads them back through the corridor and to the large door made of ancient bronze and stone. Bucky uses his magic to close it too, it’s too large for them to just push it, and Steve closes the complicated lock. It’s the last time anyone will go down this path, his mother is the last member of the royal family to be interred there, the last ruler of the country.

Steve now has the crown, has the power, but he already knows he’ll never sit on the throne.

***

They head back toward the main hall after the door to the crypt is sealed, and as they pass the opening to the dungeons something catches Steve’s eye. In the room where the personal belongings of the prisoners are stored a red cloak hangs from a peg, and when Steve goes to inspect it, he sees the familiar silver clasp shaped like wings.

He takes the keys from the guard sleeping soundly at the table, and heads down the corridor to investigate. There are not that many cells in the castle, the country has always been peaceful, no need to keep many high-profile prisoners. Now they’re all occupied, and as he peeks in, Steve notes all of them are people he’d expect to be loyal to his family. He opens all the doors as he goes past them.

At the very end of the corridor he finds Sam, asleep on a narrow cot, wrapped in a raggedy blanket. He’s thinner than Steve remembers, but doesn’t seem sick or otherwise in terribly bad condition, which is an immense relief after fearing he might have been killed.

“Can you wake him up?” Steve asks Bucky, who nods and concentrates, his brow furrowing slightly.

It’s only a moment before Sam is stirring, and Steve moves to help him sit up. Predictably Sam’s eyes go wide as soon as they land on Steve, but at least there’s recognition.

“Steve? What the hell?”

Steve smiles, aware that it’s a bit wobbly. “I found a place to get some better help for all my ailments. Turns out it wouldn’t have been difficult, considering the doctor here was poisoning me.”

Sam seems to barely register the words, still staring at him. “But how? You’re huge.”

“Bucky here took me in and helped me.” Steve sidesteps the details on how their relationship has unfolded, it’s not the time now, even though he resolves to tell Sam later.

At his gesture Sam looks over his shoulder to where Bucky stands in the doorway, the glowing sphere still hovering by his head. Sam swallows, Steve can see him thinking, considering their circumstance, wanting to ask questions. In the end he looks at Steve again, his gaze piercing as ever, clearly assessing. Steve understands Sam wants to see if his mind is all his own, and waits for him to make up his mind, to see if he needs more convincing. After all, it wouldn’t be an unreasonable assumption to think Steve is not in control of his actions.

After a full minute Sam nods slowly, starting to accept what his eyes tell him, and Steve takes the opportunity to start filling him in about the plan. “We’re here to throw Pierce and his group out. Sam, they’re HYDRA.”

“Yeah, that actually doesn’t surprise me. I knew something was wrong, realized they’d taken over, because your mother’s death and your disappearance seemed awfully convenient. I tried to find out what they were doing, got some information, helped some people that had caught Pierce’s eye the wrong way, but ended up here in the end.”

“Now it’ll end for good, Bucky and the rest of our friends have a lot of reasons to not want HYDRA in power. Come on, it’s soon morning.”

As Sam gets the rest of his clothes on and arms himself, starting to look familiar, he says, “You said they were poisoning you. Your mother too?”

Steve nods, gripping the crown in his hands, the edges biting into his skin. “Her too. She’s resting now, we sealed the crypt.”

“I’m sorry.” Sam pulls him into a hug for a moment, his warm compassion same as always, and Steve feels fortified again to have yet another friend by his side. There’s also yet another reminder of how much he’s changed, because Sam’s hugs used to be much larger, and now Steve has no trouble wrapping his arms properly around his friend.

As they walk toward the main hall Steve explains to Sam what’s been going on and why everyone is sleeping. Natasha, Wanda, Clint, and Pietro join them, and while Sam eyes them all a bit he seems to decide that since Steve trusts them, he will too.

The main hall is empty, decorated for some sort of a festive occasion, but Steve eyes it with displeasure, since there’s all too much of HYDRA’s black and red. The familiar shield hangs on its place on the wall, because same as the crown, no one can take it unless they have the right granted by the magic. All his life Steve has been able to feel the protective magic the shield sends out whenever he’s in its presence, but now it’s different, fainter. As if it’s dormant, and it makes sense, it’s anchored to the ruler, and no one has officially held the position since his mother’s passing.

Steve has waited for this moment for all his life, not necessarily because he wanted it, but because he’s always known it is his duty. This is not how he imagined it would happen, nothing is, but he still finds he feels ready, prepared, accepting. It is his time now.

The east window is growing lighter, and he raises his eyes up to the shield again. “Well, then,” he says, and settles the crown on his head. It doesn’t feel as heavy as it did in his hand, it feels right and steady. He can also sense the shield’s power waking up, its current coursing through him. It’s familiar too, the feeling of magic inside him, familiar from Bucky’s constant company.

Steve steps onto the platform the throne is on, but doesn’t sit down. He motions for his friends to come up as well, and they all settle to wait for the castle to wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are about to go down...


	11. Chapter 11

The sleeping spell lets the people in the castle out of its grip, and they all start to drift into the main hall. Steve just waits, doesn’t speak at all as they’re stared at, he most of all, because many of the people clearly recognize him despite the changes. The fact he’s wearing the crown is probably a good giveaway. He can feel the magic of the Forest, directed by his companions, swirling all around them, holding them all in its grip.

Finally in come Peggy, Tony, and Thor, and they pause at the door for a moment, taking in what’s going on. They too recognize Steve, but don’t let it distract them from assessing the situation. After all, they’re in a castle that’s now filled with magic enough that all of them must be aware of it, and a forest has sprung around it overnight. There’s also that none of Steve’s companions excluding Sam is human, not to mention his striking physical changes. They’re all smart enough to wait and see, even though Steve can tell there’s hope in them too, a potential for joy for their reunion.

Pierce arrives too, with all his closest confidants in tow, Rumlow clearly furious and disbelieving the moment he sees Steve. Steve doesn’t spare him even a glance, he knows the thing that’ll sting most is to act as if Rumlow is completely beneath his notice. Instead he gives his attention to Pierce, knowing that his fairy companions all are doing the same for Zola. Steve can see Pierce thinking furiously, trying to figure out what to say, how to turn tables for his own benefit. He should know he’s already lost, but perhaps men like him are incapable of that, incapable of believing they might be taken down. Steve’s not going to let him get even half a step forward, he’ll cut him down right now.

“Alexander Pierce. I will not refer to you as a lord, because you’ve committed a treason against our country, and hence have forfeited all titles bestowed to you. You were part of a conspiracy that resulted in the murder of my mother the Queen, as well as one with intent to use or kill me. You are also part of the cult of HYDRA, outlawed centuries ago in all our kingdoms. It has been hiding and is now trying to rise, but we won’t allow that.”

“That’s a nice story,” Pierce says, and the way he seems almost amused, as if scolding a child, sets Steve’s teeth on edge, even when he knows he has the upper hand, regardless of the argument Pierce tries to make. “Wouldn’t Queen Margaret have known that though, I’m sure we all are aware of her mirror. On the other hand, you have come here with outsiders, non-humans, and you’ve used magic to force us all comply you.”

Steve knows the argument is rather logical, since there is an element of distrust toward magic among the people. If given the floor, he thinks Pierce might even be able to convince a lot of them, even though the argument has a deathly flaw, that he can exploit.

“Have you forgotten, have all of you forgotten, that for hundreds of years this land has been protected by magic?” Steve draws himself up, standing taller. “I wear the crown of my ancestors that’s tied to the shield behind me. Have you forgotten it protects all of us, makes our lives easier?”

Steve never much liked public speaking, but he knows how to do it, he’s had to learn, and he sees now that the people that aren’t HYDRA are believing him.

“It has always been there, so steady that it’s maybe easy to forget, but it’s never been gone. And know this, even though the magic of my companions is different, they’ve still come here to protect our country, all our countries from HYDRA, because they more than any of us know the cost that had to be paid the last time.

“Also, we know that HYDRA has been using magic to hide themselves. Peggy, what did you see in your mirror?”

She draws herself to her full height, and there’s absolute certainty in her voice when she says, “Deceit. I couldn’t see them. I didn’t know why it was so, but I knew there was something wrong precisely because they weren’t visible to me. And while we came here, it never was with trust.”

Steve continues, “One of the underlings of Red Skull survived and has been hiding all this time under a cloak of glamour, one that he extended over their whole group as they started to plot taking over our kingdom. They poisoned both my mother and myself, but I’m here now to see they’ll be dealt with.”

Steve glances at Bucky, who nods and steps forward. His gaze, colder than Steve has ever seen them, fall on Zola, who’s doing his best to hide among Pierce’s company.

“Remember me, Zola? Remember what you did to me?” Bucky pulls the glove off his left hand showing everyone the silver. “I got away and was quite happy to mind my own business, except it turns out I can’t, none of us can in the face of HYDRA trying to come back. I never wanted to see you again, had hoped you’d perished with your master that you chose to work with over your own kind. But this will be the last time.”

“What do you intend to do with us?” Pierce asks, addressing Steve. He finally appears subdued, but is still assessing, obviously intending to try to press any advantage he can. “You say we are HYDRA, but it’s only your word, you can search all of us and you won’t find a mention of it.”

“No, I imagine you would have been careful to not use the old names and symbols. It still doesn’t change the fact that you obviously are HYDRA, and the consequences of being part of the group, if found guilty in a trial, are abundantly clear.”

“But you wouldn’t have proof,” Pierce says, sounding even a bit victorious now, all the more fool him.

“There is still the treason, and the consequences of that are also well known.” Steve pauses, letting the people catch the meaning of his words, and now he sees the confidence leaving HYDRA members. “However, this is a bit of a special circumstance, so here’s what we’re going to do. Every member of HYDRA, and we will find all of you, is hereby banished, and must immediately leave the castle grounds.”

Vast majority of those present seem highly confused, but there’s a look of terror on Zola’s face.

“But that is the Forest out there,” he protests.

“So it is,” Steve says. “Surrounding us from every side. And I imagine it’s not going to be kind. Now leave. Either take the dignity of walking out by yourself or be dragged out of the gate, your choice.”

They all gape at him, their fate becoming clearer, even when the humans can’t know exactly what it means to have to go into the Forest when it doesn’t care for them. They only have the stories, but it’s enough to let them know there’s no running for them anymore, that their fate was sealed during the night. Even if they somehow managed to fight Steve and his companions off, they’d still be trapped in the castle. Steve is aware that also the non-HYDRA people are feeling uneasy if not outright afraid of him, and he’d like to console them, only he can’t right now. He needs to be adamant in front of the HYDRA, not so much for them, because they’re not going anywhere, but for the others present, so that they will know this is not a path that should be walked.

In the end, most of the HYDRA members try to struggle but it’s no use, Steve’s companions guide them toward the gate by threads of magic. A few, Pierce among them, hang onto their pride and walk by themselves. Finally Zola, who seems mixed with rage that he doesn’t quite dare to bring forward now that he’s lost, is marched out by Bucky, silver hand holding onto his collar, almost dragging him.

The gates close after them, and there’s only silence.

When it’s done the magic in the castle starts to dissipate, and Steve smiles at the people gathered around him.

“These are no longer human lands, and hence we all need to leave. Please gather your belongings, we will escort you out and across the river to the town. You’re all perfectly safe, and as for those who have worked here in the castle, I will arrange for a pension to be paid out from the royal fund, so that you will not have to struggle in the future.”

His words bring out smiles around him, and the crowd starts to disperse to go and pack. There are things Steve needs to arrange, but first he steps down and goes to Peggy, Tony, and Thor. She’s holding her mirror in her hand, smiling at him, and he thinks she must believe he really is genuine.

“Sorry about the dramatics, but there wasn’t much chance for warning all of you. I’ll need to make sure everyone gets away from here, but there are some practical matters we need to discuss. Could we do it starting tomorrow?”

“Of course, and we’re so glad to know you’re fine, I worried they’d done something to you.” Peggy hugs him, and Steve relaxes with it, knowing that with all his changes he’s still the same person, she still knows him.

Thor claps him onto shoulder. “It’s why we came, to try and find out what their agenda was. I’m glad it’s all sorted, and we’ve avoided the threat.”

“Although I must say you seem to be more than fine now,” Tony grins at him, but it soon becomes a genuine smile. “Glad you weren’t gone for good.”

After their brief greetings Steve goes to Sam and calls for the clerks and officials that weren’t HYDRA, and instructs them to gather all the documents as well as the wealth in the castle. They will not be coming back, but the kingdom still exists.

It’s late afternoon when they start heading out, wagons and carts full of belongings. Bucky and the rest have communicated with the Forest, and it has opened a wide road from the castle gate to the bridge leading to the town, where crowds have gathered to stare at the newly grown Forest. The snow outside is completely undisturbed, no sign of the HYDRA members that walked out earlier.

***

Steve is busy for the next few days with arranging everything so that there’s no chaos left in the wake of the shift they caused. He makes sure all the castle staff are paid for their work and their pension is going through, and has endless conversations with officials and advisers. The discussions are partly funny, since there are those among them that sided with Pierce, not because they were believers like the HYDRA members, but because they thought it would benefit them. They’re now unfailingly polite and deferential to him, funny what a show of power does. Steve remembers though which of them were loyal and truly looked out for their country, and which were too ambitious and looking out for themselves. There’s some rearranging to do, albeit it’s not going to be all his business.

He finds Peggy the morning after they purged HYDRA away from in the castle. There’s still work to do on that front; even though those who called the shots are gone, there are still people among the general populace that saw their cause sympathetic, but it’s a start. Sam is already heading the military and has started the work to flush out those who are too much taken by HYDRA ideology. Steve and Peggy talk over breakfast about the best ways to return back to normal, to make sure the people are happy again. It’s not the biggest thing they discuss.

“I think our kingdoms should unite, under your rule,” Steve says, and has a rare pleasure to see her surprised.

She clearly is about to ask him if he’s out of his mind, but blows out a breath and calms down before she actually speaks. It took her long years to refine her temper so that she can always use it for the best instead of it being a hindrance. “Why would you suggest that?”

“First of all, you know the people would accept it. The border between our kingdoms has never meant a true division, only an administrative one.”

The two kingdoms were once one, divided by a stupid argument between siblings that has since been buried, but it took long enough that the two ruling lines had been well established, and the two kingdoms had stayed separate. The people are still one cohesive group, families extending across the border as often as not, and in all the matters the countries rely a lot on cooperation. It seems logical now to Steve to remove the artificial divide.

“There’s also that I don’t think I’ll be a suitable ruler anymore,” Steve continues. “I’ve gotten too entangled with Bucky’s kind, and the serum he gave me to save my life has changed me even more fundamentally than it looks on the surface. Human kingdoms should have human rulers, and I don’t really qualify anymore.”

It takes a lot of hashing out, and they invite Thor and Tony into the discussion as well, to make sure the soon to be three kingdoms function well together. In the end, it’s all agreed on, and it feels right to Steve, the way the most fundamental and important things do.

There is also the question of what to do with the shield, and he spends a night poring over old documents without finding an answer that would work for them. They know from the start Peggy can’t be the one to wield it, she already has her own blood-bound magic, and they wouldn’t mix well. It’s a problem Steve didn’t really think of when he suggested rejoining their kingdoms; the magical defenses were built during the time the relations between the countries were cooler, and hence are one of the few things that differ.

One solution would be to hand over the power of the shield to someone else, but they all agree it wouldn’t be a good idea, since the shield and crown are tied together. It would probably give a wrong idea if someone other than the rightful ruler walked around wearing a crown, for all that it looks more like wreath of flowers made of gold.

Steve goes back to the Forest one day, to talk to Bucky. He’s been staying in the town to keep an eye on things, but Bucky and the rest of their companions have stayed in the Forest where they’re more comfortable. Bucky told him to take care of things, that he’d be waiting, but it’s been odd to spend days at a time without seeing each other.

Unsurprisingly they end up in Steve’s old bed in the room that for some reason has been kept the same for all the time he was away, hands and lips frantic on each other’s skin. Afterward they lie comfortably together, skin on skin, and Steve tells Bucky about his problem with the shield, asking for advice. Bucky suggests bringing in Natasha, since she apparently is very good at reworking spells, finding plasticity in them that allows one to use them for more purposes than originally created for.

She comes to meet him the next day, and doesn’t disappoint. The solution she suggests is simple, and yet allows for Steve to step back while keeping the protection over the kingdom intact without causing political problems. Steve will keep the crown, act as an anchor for the spell, and he’ll be able to stay in the Forest, because the shield will be carried by someone living in the kingdoms, someone Steve trusts. As an added bonus, since he’s halfway magical after drinking the serum, the protective power of the shield will reach farther than it has before. Now it’ll be able to cover all the territory of the three kingdoms, a fact which they all welcome.

The choice of who will carry the shield, the person to share the duty with him, is easy. Steve is the one to make the choice, but Peggy, Thor, and Tony all heartily approve when he gives it to Sam. After all, Sam has been his companion since youth, one who always was there for him and not status, one who has proved to be trustworthy time and time again. There’s no one else Steve would consider.

***

To Steve it feels like it takes a long time to get everything sorted enough that he can go back to Bucky, but when he really thinks about it he knows it all happens astonishingly fast. It’s only nineteen days since they walked out of the Forest to the moment he’s walking back toward it again, this time not just to catch a few hours with Bucky, but to go back to the life that they’re building together.

He’s flanked by Peggy and Sam, who are determined to see him off, even when he’s promised he’ll see them soon enough. For the spell of protection to remain steady he’ll have to be physically present within its sphere of influence every once in a while, and it’s not like it’s a hardship for him to do so. Still, with every passing day he’s become more and more conscious of how he no longer permanently belongs in the world of humans.

He’s told about Bucky to Peggy and Sam, not all of it but enough that they understand. They do have reservations, they probably wouldn’t be good friends if they didn’t, but they can tell he’s happy, and are supportive.

“I looked at him in my mirror and all I got was that he was genuine, so that is good, even if this whole thing is weird,” Peggy says.

“It can be deceived, though. HYDRA could do it,” Sam points out, albeit his protestation seems halfhearted at best.

“True, but even then, I could tell something was wrong, just not what it was. I don’t get that from him.”

They briefly met Bucky once after they all had been escorted out of the Forest, but there hasn’t been any more prolonged contact. Steve knows they’re all a bit uncomfortable with each other, same as they’re uncomfortable crossing the barrier between their realms to either direction. He’s the only one that finds it easy, for all that he now belongs more in the Forest than the country of his birth.

They come to the bridge across the river, and Steve hugs both his friends hard, promising to come and see them soon, again reassuring them he’s happy before he walks back into the Forest.

He finds Bucky in the orchard growing next to the castle, the only part of the grounds that’s the same as before. Since trees already grew there, the Forest only enfolded it in and woke it up instead of changing it. The sun is low, the horizon already turning red, but there are water droplets still dripping from the branches as the snow melts. The drifts have gotten smaller too, a clear sign of spring coming faster every day.

Steve walks right into Bucky’s embrace, buries his nose in the crook of his neck and just breathes, feeling instantly more relaxed. He’s been strung tight over the last weeks, wanting to make sure they do everything right so that he’s not leaving his duty before it’s fully transferred. Now it’s all done, and he feels lighter than he ever has yet with Bucky, because the nagging feeling of things going wrong that he used to always carry with him is gone.

He straightens to look at Bucky. “Let’s go home.”

Bucky smiles. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. It’s all done.”

Steve makes a detour in the castle and leaves the crown there, resting on a small stone pedestal in the main hall. It’s his now, but he doesn’t have to wear it all the time, and he would feel weird taking it back to their home. The Forest will keep it and the castle safe for him for when he needs it.

***

That night at home Steve notices Bucky’s behavior is just a bit odd. They’re right in each other’s space, but that is to be expected after days spent apart, especially since it’s not long at all since they took the step of choosing to be together without artificial bonds between them. Steve too wants to be touching Bucky all the time, but there’s just a bit of an edge to it that he notices, Bucky feels both clingy and distant at the same time, paradoxical as it seems.

They’re half reclining on the mountain of cushions in Bucky’s apartment, Steve resting half on top, and he props himself up to look at Bucky. “Is something wrong? Because I can tell something is weird.”

Bucky takes about half a second to decide it’s no use to try and hide, it’s clear as day to Steve he considers and discards it. “It’s stupid,” Bucky says, and after a moment of hesitation, “and unfair toward you.”

It’s not what Steve expected, and he doesn’t quite know how to take it, how he should feel, but then he remembers his mother’s advice to always find out everything there is to know and only then decide how to act. It was meant for ruling, but he figures it’ll work for personal life too.

“Okay, that’s acknowledged, you think it’s something not right, and I’ll take into account you know it when you tell me what it is,” he suggests. “I mean, I remember plenty of times I’ve thought things that were not really fair toward those close to me. It happens, doesn’t mean it’s something that’ll ruin things.”

Bucky lets his head fall down against the pillows and blows out a gust of air. “Fine. I thought, or feared really, that you might choose to stay in the human lands.”

Bucky’s not looking at him at all, and for a moment Steve considers the revelation. He finds he’s not upset by it, while he also sees why Bucky thinks it’s not fair toward him. 

“Well,” Steve says, gently touching Bucky’s jaw to get him look at him, “you’re right, it is stupid.” He smiles, and Bucky makes a face at him, relaxing under him now it’s obvious he’s not upset. “But it’s understandable, considering how much you’ve lost. I’m not mad you feel insecure, and I’m not leaving.” He tucks his head under Bucky’s jaw and works his arms under him, holding tight. Bucky wraps him in an embrace in return, and Steve lets him gather himself, waiting until the small tremors in his body stop and his breathing is even again.

“I know you’re not leaving,” Bucky says after a moment. “I do, and yet there’s part of me that doubted it when I was alone there. It’s your home on the other side, and it’s always hard to leave.”

Steve rolls onto his side and tugs Bucky after him so that they’re face to face, able to see each other.

“It was my home, but no anymore. There are a lot of things that are dear to me, but it no longer felt right. I’m not one of your kind, but neither am I quite human, you know that. And in the end, it wasn’t hard to leave, because you’re here. I made my choice earlier, before I’d been back, and it wasn’t a mistake, nothing has changed since my promise, except I’m even more sure of it now.”

Bucky stares at him for long seconds, and Steve thinks he’s never seen him happier than right then. The last thought he has before Bucky’s kiss makes him focus all on how he’s feeling is he hopes there’ll be countless more chances to see Bucky even happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more to go, we'll look into their lives after a short time skip.


	12. Chapter 12

Steve is riding at a leisurely pace toward the Forest. He’s been away for a few weeks, taking a trip around the country to see how things are progressing as well as reinforcing the spell shielding them all. He’s eager to get back to Bucky, but it’s a beautiful day, and now that they’re much more secure in their relationship, he likes letting the anticipation build.

It’s midday, the sky deep blue, sun not quite as high as it gets during the summer with the fall at the full swing already. The harvest, apparently unusually bountiful, is in progress; groups of people reaping the golden fields and picking fruit. In general the people seem happy, and Steve is glad to see it.

He visited Peggy, and half a year in it seems their countries have come together without a hitch. It’s been mostly peaceful, even though there are HYDRA sympathizers still around, but they’re getting a cold shoulder from their communities, and there’s no trouble in sight from that direction. Peggy’s been hard at work, but she’s thriving with it, and hence Steve doesn’t feel bad for having added to her responsibilities. She was also falling in love, Steve was delighted to see, with a woman named Angie, who seems to be able to match both Peggy’s wit and temperament.

He spent a few days with Sam, who is now heading the joint protective force of the three kingdoms, with representatives from all of them in the command. There is Peggy’s cousin Sharon, Tony’s friend and leader of his armed forces Rhodey, as well as a woman named Valkyrie from Asgard. Steve had never met her before, but he has a feeling that despite her tiny stature she’d be able to wrestle them all under the table. She certainly could do so by drinking.

Steve started toward home with a smile on his face for two reasons, having enjoyed himself as well as feeling secure that the safety of the people is in capable hands, all of them have sharp eyes and are intelligent enough to spot HYDRA or a similar threat, and the right mindset to repel it.

He expected to get attention during his travels; after all he’s wearing the traditional crown and his horse doesn’t exactly stand on the ground, but the flavor is different from what he expected. The people seem to know of him everywhere, and there’s warmth in the way they greet him. It’s not formal like he remembers them greeting his mother, but more free, like greeting a friend. He doesn’t know how or why it has happened, after all he’d expect distrust considering he turned up having obviously been changed by magic, but he’s grateful for the reception, for entirely selfish reasons.

He’d do these trips regardless, but it’s so much easier when he’s not faced with fear and suspicion.

Now though, it’s time to head back home to Bucky.

***

In the mid-afternoon he’s riding through the town he always thought of as home even when the castle was on the other side of the river. Here too people greet and nod at him, even more familiar than elsewhere, because many of these people actually used to know him, despite the fact that in the recent years he was sick so often it was difficult to make visits. It’s still curious, the complete lack of distrust despite his obviously magical transformation, and he knows he’ll have to try and figure it out. Maybe it’s because all through the history of the country his family has done well by people, and the crown has always meant protection rather than fear.

He doesn’t stop to talk, just nods at people, greets those he remembers by name, and soon enough he’s on the road leading toward the river. It’s not used much anymore, there’s already grass growing between the neatly laid stones, and he knows in time there’ll be no road at all, just a memory in his head.

The other side of the river that used to be an open meadow dotted by solitary trees here and there is now overgrown with trees and shrubs, late roses blooming in the bushes by the water, and it’s impossible to see any deeper into the green gloom. It used to be a scary, looking into the Forest, but now Steve feels in peace, eager with anticipation to get along. Now as he comes closer there’s the familiar presence at the back of his mind, consciousness albeit not one that uses words, welcoming him back.

There’s no bridge now spanning across the river, at least not for most people, but as Steve rides closer the trees on the other side open a path for him, and an arch of beautiful stonework appears to let him across. It’s not the bridge he remembers, wider and more utilitarian; this is something that fits the Forest and the natural curves, the stonework seemingly grown rather than built.

Steve makes two short stops at the castle; he leaves the crown in the main hall that’s already starting to be taken over by nature, the red and black flags the first to disappear in the mouths of moths and beetles, and picks some apples from the orchard to take home. They’re large and red, the juice sweet and tangy at the same time as he bites into one. He’s smiling, he realizes, the weight of duty put aside again, no need to think of anything other than how he wants to greet Bucky when he makes it home.

Halfway to Bucky’s mound he sees the familiar shade of fiery red, standing out even among the backdrop of turned maple leaves. Natasha sits on her horse, clearly waiting for him, and as he pauses next to her there’s a cry of a hawk from above, confirming Steve’s suspicion of Clint’s whereabouts.

They’ve been, along with Bucky, Wanda, and Pietro, working in the lands of the former HYDRA kingdom, helping the Forest to start taking it over. For a long time it’s been barren, the wounds of magical experiments and war visible, but now they’ve decided it’s time to start repairing, to let it heal. It’s slower going getting the Forest to take root in there than it was in the corner of Steve’s former home, it requires more work from all of them, but they’re all determined to make it happen. Steve thinks it helps them too, helps them recover from the wounds they all still carry inside themselves.

They ride together with Natasha for a moment, just catching up. At a fork in the path where they’re about to separate she says, “He has a surprise waiting for you.”

Steve grins. “I bet I know what it’s about. Although if it’s supposed to be a surprise, should you be telling me?”

She grins. “Oh well, guess you can deal. Get going back, he was insufferable over the last few days, about to vibrate out of his skin.”

Steve hugs her for goodbye before spurring his horse on toward home.

He lets it take him through at its own pace, which is much faster than a regular horse could manage even on level ground, let alone in the woods, and soon he’s at the entrance of Bucky’s mound, the sight of it now dear as anything, rather than apprehensive the way it was the first time Bucky brought him.

***

Bucky is waiting for him in the garden when he rides in, and the smile on his face is definitely mirrored on Steve’s; after a few weeks of separation coming back together is almost like drinking a bottle of sparkling wine, it goes straight into his head. He feels the bond between them settle, content again now that they’re together, not having to reach over miles. It’s never painful or uncomfortable, but when they’re separated there’s always a slight sense of emptiness at the edge of consciousness.

Steve drops down from his saddle almost straight into Bucky’s arms, and the tiniest bit of him again finds magic just so convenient, because it means neither of them will have to spend time taking care of his horse, it’ll happen by itself here. The rest of him, and indeed soon enough all of him is concentrated on Bucky, who pulls him into a kiss that lasts for a moment before Steve drops his head on Bucky’s shoulder and just breathes in his scent and wraps his arms tight around him. Bucky holds him just as tight, and the slight tiredness Steve has been feeling due to his lengthy travels dissipates away.

“Nat said you have a surprise for me,” Steve mumbles against the skin of Bucky’s throat, and can feel him shake his head, but it’s okay because there’s very definite laughter in his voice when he replies.

“I’m sure she did. It’s nothing you don’t know about, though, just that I finished our new apartment.”

Steve straightens to look up at Bucky, and pokes him on the side as he does. “There’s no just with that, it’s definitely a big thing. And you should definitely be showing me already.”

The process of putting their new apartment together has been a curious one for Steve, because obviously it too has been achieved by magic. Bucky asked him about everything he’d want, but has then worked to make it real, mostly in his head as it has seemed to Steve. They’ve been living in Bucky’s old rooms as the threads of glamour have done their job, and apparently it’s now all finished.

Bucky leads him down a passage south from the garden, and soon enough they come to a door Steve doesn’t remember seeing before. He steps inside, and immediately can only smile. The living space is comfortable and cozy looking, the colors soothing, the ceiling glittering with little spots of light that give everything a warm glow. All of his things have been brought in there as well, his sketchbooks laid on a side table at a comfortable reach from a beckoning armchair. Everything else is just as perfect, all their needs and whims have been fulfilled, and Steve already feels right at home.

As is traditional for fairy residences, most rooms have no windows, but there is a literal sunroom with comfortable chairs and mountains of pillows, plants and big windows. Now Steve recognizes where they are relative to the top of the ground, he knows one side of the hill is a steep cliff and they’re now looking out through it over the tops of the Forest. The windows are toward the south, and while Steve knows Bucky’s not too fond of sun, they’ll probably spend many nights under starlight there.

There’s another room with windows as well, big and airy, and it contains Steve’s easel and other painting things. It’s a proper workspace, better than he had even back at the castle. Seeing it, he’s speechless, because it didn’t even occur to him to ask for one, since he’d expected for them to reside completely underground, and the obviously thoughtful gesture from Bucky completely overwhelms him.

He tugs Bucky into a kiss, heated and rushed, and Bucky presses against him, the glamour that lives in him wrapping around Steve. It stays even when Bucky pulls away.

“Come on, there’s still something you need to see.”

Steve is about to protest that there’s plenty of time later, that all he cares about now is Bucky, but the heat in Bucky’s eyes makes him stop and allow himself to be pulled along. Bucky’s clearly on the same page with him, so Steve can let him decide where they go, as long as he’s about to get his hands on him in a moment.

Bucky leads him through the bedroom to a door he noticed earlier but didn’t pay too much attention to, and when they’re through he draws a breath in amazement, for a moment mesmerized by the place. The walls are streaked with large flowing veins of blue and purple quartz, there is a fireplace and benches around the room with pure white towels piled on them. In the center is a large bath filled with water, and here too little spots of light create patterns in the ceiling and walls, even under the water. The far wall is partly transparent, a layer of clear quartz between them and outside world, letting in the light that’s turning pink already with the sunset.

While Steve takes it all in Bucky sets to undressing him, letting the warm layers suitable for autumn travel fall to the floor along with his own lighter clothes. They step in the water together, the warmth perfect as it envelopes them, instantly soothing.

“Did you put a glamour here?” Steve asks, because he can feel two different threads now, the one drawing him toward Bucky and the other coaxing him to relax. “I’m sure it’ll be nice in general, but it’s kind of at war with what I wanted to do just now.”

“Oh, right.” Bucky looks a bit sheepish, enough that Steve has to laugh at him for not thinking about this, since it’s not even close to first time they’re about to have sex in the bath. “Hold on, I’ll adjust it.”

Bucky’s eyes go distant for a moment, and Steve leans into him, happy enough to wait for a moment now that they’re together and Bucky’s arms are tight around him. Soon enough he feels the atmosphere change, the magic realigns and it’s no longer trying to tug him into different directions.

“It responds to desire now,” Bucky explains as he pulls Steve closer and presses soft kisses down along his throat. “It knows if you want to relax, it’ll help, and so on.”

“We should definitely inspect the possibilities of ‘and so on’.” Steve pulls Bucky up into a kiss and shifts to sit right on his lap, noting that the seats inside the basin are shaped so it’s comfortable for him. Apparently Bucky did think about what they’d be likely to do in the bath, even if not all the way through.

They’re both getting hard fast, no wonder since it’s been weeks, and Steve rolls his hips in a lazy circle, just enjoying the hitch in Bucky’s breath, one that becomes more prominent when he reaches down to wrap his fingers around Bucky’s cock. The kiss breaks as Bucky leans back, his eyes closed and lips parted. His hair is unraveling from where he’s pulled it back and Steve reaches with his other hand to tug the strip of soft leather off, all the better for him to bury his fingers among Bucky’s dark strands.

Steve sits there for a moment, his hand keeping its slow slide up and down Bucky’s shaft, but mostly he concentrates on just looking at Bucky, the smooth planes of skin, the rising flush, the silver arm reflecting the lights underwater. Bucky’s hands are on his hips, firm and steady, holding him close enough that as he moves his hand he continuously brushes against his own erection.

Something occurs to Steve and his first reaction is to tell Bucky, which in turn amuses him enough to cause him huff out a breath of laughter. Just a year ago he never would have considered saying such a thing, and definitely not in the middle of sex. Since then he’s learned that most of the things people say sex should be are utter and total garbage, all that matters is what they want it to be.

Bucky blinks at him, pupils blown wide with pleasure, but he still manages to lift an inquiring eyebrow at the source of his laughter.

“It’s just, I remembered that in the early days I was fairly intimidated by your size,” Steve says and gives Bucky’s cock a squeeze to emphasize his words. “I got over it though.”

“Right through to the other side it seems,” Bucky says, and it’s true, these days Steve definitely appreciates the fact Bucky is very well endowed. “Think it wasn’t that lengthy problem,” Bucky continues, and groans when Steve laughs.

“Lengthy, yeah. It took me a couple of weeks; in the beginning it was kind of, did I hallucinate that I was able to take it or what happened. But hey, all good now.”

“Good.” Bucky angles himself up for another kiss, and Steve goes willingly closer, even as it makes it more difficult to keep jerking Bucky off.

Bucky slides his hand up his thigh, reaching behind, and he coaxes Steve up to his knees a bit for better access. Steve has to let go of Bucky’s cock, and he buries both his hands in Bucky’s hair, tugging just a bit, caressing right after. Bucky pulls him even closer as he begins opening him up with the help of warm water and magic, working his fingers in slowly. Steve’s cock gets trapped between them, dragging against Bucky’s chest as they move together. Bucky slots his lips around one of his nipples and Steve lets his head fall back and just enjoys the touch, the closeness, the rising pleasure.

He can feel his heartbeat in every part of his body, throbbing all around him, especially where Bucky touches him, and it takes all of his coordination to manage to stay on his knees and not just collapse. It’s now that the last of the tension ebbs away, and he’s floating in the safety of Bucky’s embrace, high on pleasure and love, the way he never expected to happen before Bucky.

Bucky pulls his fingers away and takes a hold of Steve’s hips again, guiding him down on his cock. Steve slides down all the way, relishing the fullness inside him, before kissing Bucky yet again deeper and more firm that he has yet today. Bucky kisses him back and it takes them a good long while when Steve just sits there with Bucky inside him, kissing and kissing again until he can’t, until the pleasure builds into too much to handle without moving, without release.

Bucky’s hands stay on his hips, guiding him to move at an even pace, and Steve lets him have the control, just rises and descends as he’s directed. He tries to keep his eyes open even when they want to roll back with pleasure, because Bucky is beautiful like this, as he always is, and Steve doesn’t want to miss it especially now that it’s been weeks since the last time.

Bucky keeps at a steady pace, and Steve falls into it, comfortable and stimulated, and his orgasm almost catches him by surprise, crashing over him. He squeezes around Bucky who grinds them tight together and comes too, falling against the edge of the bath, arms wrapping tight around Steve and pulling him even closer.

They take long minutes to recover, just hugging each other as their breathing evens out. There’s a slight twinge in one of Steve’s knees from the movement and keeping it fully bent now that he’s still kneeling on Bucky’s lap, but he doesn’t hurry to move away. It’ll get better soon enough these days. For now, all he wants is to hold on to Bucky.

***

Eventually they wash, get out of the bath, dress in light comfortable clothes, eat, and settle in the sunroom that’s more like starlight room now that the sun has set. They lay on the pillows in each other’s embrace, and Steve thinks there’s a fair chance they’ll fall asleep there instead of going to bed. Not that he’d mind, he’s warm and happy.

Bucky hums one of the melodies Steve now knows he learned as a child hundreds of years ago, his fingers running over Steve’s back with evident purpose. Steve can feel it in the back of his mind, the threads of magic that follow Bucky’s touch, and he wonders what the purpose is, since it’s not like he needs any more relaxation for his muscles, the bath took care of that.

“Tickles,” he mutters against Bucky’s neck, not wording the question but letting it float in the air.

“I was just making sure, I’ve thought there’s something different in you now, I’ve felt it grow over the last months, but it seems to have solidified now.”

Steve rises to look at Bucky in the eyes. “What has?”

“Don’t look so alarmed, it’s nothing bad. Or,” Bucky furrows his brow, “I don’t think it is. Guess it might be kind of a big deal for a human being.”

“Out with it.” Steve has already relaxed, the spiking worry soothed by Bucky reassurance, despite his uncertainty.

“You’re not aging any more. You used to, even with the serum, albeit slower that humans regularly do. But not anymore. I think it’s the combination of the magic that protects your country that’s now tied to you, and the serum. They’ve merged, and now it holds you specifically as its contact, instead of your bloodline.”

“Oh.” Steve turns the fact in his head. It is huge; he’s been living with the idea of death for all his life, and now to find out it’s no longer really his immediate concern shifts a lot of his perceptions. Bucky was right though, it’s not a bad thing for him. “Guess I’ll get to stay with you for longer than I expected.”

Steve smiles at Bucky whose answering grin is dazzling, but he grows serious and sincere right after.

“I was always happy to be with you, even when I knew you’d grow old and I would not. Being with you was worth it. But I’m certainly even happier now.”

“Me too. I worried sometimes, that there’d be an end to this and what would it mean when I’d grow old. I didn’t want to leave you. I don’t ever want to.”

Bucky pulls him closer again. “You won’t have to, and I won’t either. It’ll be you and I for as long as the Forest stands.”

In the storybook Bucky gave him as a gift on the very first morning is a tale that Steve very much likes. It says the Forest took root the moment the world was created, and will stand until the stars fall and darkness reigns again. It’ll be a long time until that moment, and all those eons could be scary to face, but they’re not. He knows they’ll be happy for all that time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They will literally live happily ever after.
> 
> Here we are at the end, it's been fun. Thanks for all of you who made it here, whether you were reading along or waited until I was finished. I hope you'll all have an excellent 2018!
> 
> I'm also on [tumblr](http://stellahibernis.tumblr.com/post/168924183547/wrap-me-up-in-dreams).


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